When You Least Expect
by carolkujawski
Summary: This is a chance encounter between Rory and Tristan. Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Luck was really not on her side today. It was her first day on the job, and she was going to interview this soldier who had just finished his tour in Afghanistan. She was supposed to get up earlier than usual, get dressed in her new suit, the one that her grandmother insisted on buying her when she discovered that Rory was starting at the Herald-Sun, in Durham, North Carolina, in two weeks. Or, more precisely, today. She was supposed to be ready much earlier, and dressed really professionally, and she was supposed to arrive at the office at a much more convenient time.

Instead, she was just about now getting out of bed, heart in her throat, after almost dying of fright when her phone biped the message she had just received. Thank God for Lane and her habit of wishing good luck in all of her first day's of work.

But no, not today. It really looked like today was not going to be her lucky day. Today would be the day that her clock decided he wouldn't cooperate and purr on time, making her late. Sure, leave it to Lorelai to give the present that was going to be the downfall of her career. Damn, she wasn't supposed to be thinking about Lorelai today. Or home. Because if she started thinking about home today of all days, she wasn't going to make it.

It´s been eight years. Eight years since her first job outside of home. Eight years since she packed her bags to follow Obama's campaign trail, and started living her adult life. Sure, after the campaign was over, after almost two years, she took a nice and long vacation back home, before sorting through the various job offers she received. She spent almost a month with her mother, and then went to DC, to work for the Washington Post. After all, the political articles she wrote for Hugo were the best part of her portfolio. It was a really nice start for a reporter, to do the political beat at the Washington Post.

She was really proud of her accomplishments. She was almost thirty years old, had a nice job, and a great family. Sure, she had to leave her last boyfriend in DC when she got the job in North Carolina, but it was not a very serious relationship, and they parted ways friendly. To be fair, Jake was more like a really good friend than a boyfriend. But it was easy, and he was a nice guy, and after her last relationship, it was all she could take. She just hoped that they could still be friends, with the distance and all, because she would really miss him.

She spent the best part of the last six years in DC, writing for the post, and doing some freelancer work for Hugo, and for whatever paper that wanted to pick up her articles. She met Jake at the newspaper office, as he was the photographer assigned to her most of the time when she was working. And he usually reviewed her articles when she would submit them for some freelancer work.

It was thanks to Hugo and Logan – yes, that's right, Logan, that the New York Times had picked up some of her best articles. And it was one of those articles, her best piece until today, that landed her this new job, as a international correspondent for the Herald-Sun.

She just couldn't get over the fact that Logan was the one who sent that article to a buddy, who just happened to work for the New York Times. Or that they were somewhat friends now, after running into each other on three or four really awkward society functions, that her grandparents guilt-tripped her into going. Well, not really friends _per se_, but two people who could be in the same room – or sometimes the same table, and be able to make small talk, or talk about the past without her ending up crying in the bathroom floor. He even met Jake, as he was the one to accompany her to one or two of that functions, and no blood was shed in that event. It was a surprise, but they actually got along just fine. If nothing else, her feelings for Logan were long gone, as well as his feelings for her, she was sure, and that made it easier for the two of them get along. But that was really the truth about her relationship with Logan nowadays: polite conversation when alone, small talk when in the middle of friends, a facebook friendship, two articles in the Times and a letter of recommendation, which led her to her new job in North Carolina.

It was almost like a dream come true: she really got the job of her dreams. Sure, being in North Carolina, so far away from home, with no one she really knew was not what she pictured when she thought about being a International Correspondent. But right now, all she could think about was that she was glad she had this new job, the one she worked most of her life for, even if she really missed home and was late for her first day. And she really hated being late for anything, especially an interview.

Her first interview on her first day at her new job as a International Correspondent. But more than being late, she really hated being late _and_ unprepared for her first interview. She didn't even know the name of the soldier she was going to interview today, all she knew is that he was injured while on duty, and after weeks of surgical interventions, he was flown back to the States, with a medal of honor and a honorable discharge.

For the first time in her entire life, she got ready and was out the door in less than fifteen minutes. Jake would be proud, he was always teasing her about the time she needed to get ready to go to work. Now, all she had to do was getting to the Harold-Sun on time. At least she had made her research before arriving in North Carolina with more baggage than she could carry.

Thanks to her grandparents she had a nice little house in a good neighborhood, only a short walk from the newspaper's office. She really didn't know how her grandmother did it, but in less than two weeks she had a home, completely furnished with all she could think she'd ever need, a new car and all of her clothes in one place: her new bedroom. But, really, she didn't expect anything less from one Emily Gilmore.

And she couldn't wait for the holidays, when she was sure that her grandparents, her mother and Luke would be visiting her, and finally get to know her new home. She would even try and convince Jake to come down with them. Her mother really liked Jake, especially now that we were more friends than boyfriend and girlfriend. Even her grandparents were fond of Jake, but she was sure it was because grandma knew his mother's sister from the D.A.R.

But as close as her house was to the paper, today was not a day for a short walk. First because she wasn't wearing sensible shoes. No one in their right-mind would want to take a brisk walk in heels, even if it was going to be only a 20 minutes walk. And second, because she didn't want to run. She was already late, and not in the mood to drive.

So, she took a cab to the Herald-Sun's office, got her directives, a stack of papers and went to the army base located in Raleigh, with enough time to read about her assignment. She had around half an hour to get to the North Carolina Army National Guard, where she would be interviewing one Sergeant Ryan Greene.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Rory arrived at Raleigh with barely two minutes to spare. The ride from Durham was really smooth, and she was now all caught up with her assignment. She had read that Sgt. Greene was stationed in Afghanistan for over two years, in spite of his early age: he was only 21 years old. She couldn't imagine what it would be like to be 20 years old and having to give up the life you planed out for you, because of a war injury.

She read that he was part of a rescue unit, and after an incredible number of successful missions, he was trapped trying to save a child. He had gotten his orders, and was supposed to retreat, but he saw a little boy who was no more than five years old, according to this file, and he went back to save the child. That almost cost him his life. He was injured while trying to get back to the patrol vehicle. He saved the child's life, but his back and left arm were burned because of a bomb.

She closed the file and forced herself to remain dry-eyed, because the last thing Sgt. Greene needed was a weeping reporter trying to interview him. She thought about how being an international correspondent was exactly what she dreamt about, and how little she knew about the world, or this war, for example. But it was her first piece about the war and she had to get it right. She just hoped it wouldn't be too hard.

As soon as the car stopped, she was greeted by soldiers. She showed her credential, asked about Sgt. Ryan Greene, and what would be the best place to conduct her interview.

"Right this way, ma'am", said one of the Soldiers, with a nice southern twinge to his voice. "I'm Lieutenant Meyer. Justin Meyer. I served with Sgt. Greene in Afghanistan." he continued, while walking her to one of the base buildings.

"Thank you, it's nice to meet you. I hope you don't mind if I asked you some questions, after his interview. It would be nice to have a different perspective..." Rory said, with a small smile.

"I would be honored, ma'am, but I wasn't with Sgt. Greene when he was injured. I was back at the base at the time. I was with him when he was brought to the hospital, though." Meyer said, and she could hear the sadness and the quiet respect in his voice. "Maybe you should interview some of the guys that were with him that day, I'm sure they wouldn't mind". They stopped behind a door in what looked like a rehabilitation center.

"After you, ma'am" the soldier said, holding the door open for her. "Hey, Greene, this lovely reporter is here to interview you. How you're doing today, men?" Rory looked at the soldier that Lt. Meyer was talking to and was taken by surprise. Sure, she knew he was injured about a month ago, but she wasn't expecting to see someone so battered and bruised still.

"Hi, it´s nice to meet you, Sgt. Greene. I'm Rory Gilmore, the International Correspondent for the Herald-Sun. I hope that I'm not disturbing you." She said, trying to hold on to her composure. Most of his neck, back and arms were still raw from the burns he suffered, and his left hand was immobilized. His face was covered in bruises and cuts, and she could see that he had difficulty walking.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Gilmore. Don't worry, I don't have much more to do today. I was about finished with the rehab routine for today." Ryan answered. "If you don't mind, we could get back to my room. I just need to sit down for a moment, then we can start."

"Sure, let's go" Rory said. She smiled in Lt. Meyer direction, thanking him for his assistance and silently followed the injured soldier to his room.

She tried to be as efficient as possible, to prevent from rehashing too much. She knew he was having difficulty talking about the accident, but she could hear the pride in his voice when he said that the little boy was safe and sound, back with his parents. She was done with the interview in about forty minutes, and before she could ask him if it would be okay for her to try and find some of the men in his unit to finish her assignment, he said: "The Captain said that you'd probably want to talk with the other soldiers in my unit."

"Sure, that would be nice." Rory said, and worried about how she would help the soldier to stand up to go looking for his fellow soldiers. "How do we do this? You want me to call someone to..."

"Hey, Justin, get your butt in here!" Ryan yelled, cutting her off. "Sorry, doll, but he's just down the hall. He wouldn't leave me alone in here without any of the guys to help me move about, he knows I still need assistance some times getting up".

"Hey, Ryan. Are you done with the lovely lady?" Justin asked, trying to lighten the mood. He knew that it must be hard to his friend having to go through the accident again, to tell the story to the reporter. It was still hard for him, to think about it.

"She's all yours, mate!" Ryan said, and smiled at Rory. "Don't let her use her lovely face to take advantage of you, men. She can get almost anything with those eyes" He joked, flirting lightly with the reporter. But he was not expecting the reporter to blush over the compliment. She was a nice girl. Easy to look at, with those blue eyes and dark hair and all. And she was easy to talk to, he wasn't kidding. She didn't press him for the harsh memories, took time to write notes. It seems that she wanted to know more about the mission or the boy that was saved than from the accident or about his injuries, and that made it easier for him to tell her about it.

Justin, noticing her blushing over Ryan's compliment, decided to have some fun of his own. It was nice to see Ryan smiling, after all. "Na, I'm thinking that this one here can take all the advantage she wants, right? See, word got out that there was a girl in your room, and now there's a line outside the door, waiting to see if it's true. I'm sure they wouldn't mind too, if she wants to take advantage of them... Oops, I think I hear the Captain calling my name..." Justin said, and turned around, just in time to see his Captain frozen at the door, with a funny look on his face.

The two soldiers just stood there, in silence, watching the scene unfold in front of them. Their Captain was at the door, probably heard most of the bantering going on, but didn't look like there was going to be any scolding for flirting with the reporter. He didn't look like he was ready to talk at all, to say the truth. When he didn't introduce himself to the reporter, Justin decided it was his job to make the introductions.

"Captain, Sir, this lovely lady here is Miss Rory Gilmore, the reporter from Durham." He said, even knowing that Tristan surely knew who she was, after all, he had to approve the meeting. "She's here to interview Sgt. Greene. Ma'am, this is the men responsible for our unit: Captain DuGrey." Justin said, not noticing that the two of them had to have known each other, from the look of shock and recognition on their faces.

"Of all the gin joints, in all the towns, in all the world..." Rory started.

"She walks into mine..." Tristan finished for her

_At least now he gets the reference... _Rory that was all that she was able to process, because she was still reeling from the surprise of seeing him again, after all this years. She was speechless.

"Well, Mary, I think it's the first time that I see you out of words. I think I like this side of yours much, much more..."


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

As soon as the words flew out of his mouth, Rory launched herself at him. Tristan was so surprised by the fact, even more by the arms that surrounded him enveloping him in a tight hug, that it took him a second to hug her back. And men, it felt good. When he learned that the reporter interviewing Ryan was one Rory Gilmore, his curiosity was picked. It has been ages since he thought about her. He wondered if she still had the ability to take his breath away, like she used to. Or if she had thought about him at all. After all, when he left Chilton, they were somewhat friends. He didn't know if she would remember him or recognize him. Well, it seems as thought she remembered him just fine, judging from this hug.

He knew that he shouldn't prolong it, especially with his men watching, but at the same time, he wasn't ready to let go of her. He didn't even noticed the moment when he closed his eyes, but he caught himself just in time, before sniffing her hair. _Damn_. He looked around just in time to see Justin poking Ryan in the arm, and motioning to him with his head. _Fuck_. He thought. Now he would have to deal with the thousands of questions he knew that Justin would ask. _I really shouldn't have told him about her, back in Military School. But how the hell should I know that I would see her again, or that Justin would get the chance to meet her too one day._

Rory was slow to acknowledge the fact that they were not alone. Justin and Ryan were looking absolutely flabbergasted, trying really hard not to smile at the sight of the two of them hugging, and failing miserably. She slowly stepped back, looked at the two soldiers and smiled. She didn't miss the glint in Justin's eyes, but couldn't imagine what was that all about.

"No introduction needed, boys." She started, then look at Tristan again and continued. "I always wondered what happened to you, after you were send to Military School. I just never thought that you would make a living out of it, _Captain DuGrey_." He could hear the pride in her voice, in the way she said his title. The way he always waited to hear from this parents, but never did. "I guess now I don't have to wonder anymore..." She finished.

"Well, Mary, I can honestly say I wasn't expecting to see you here, in North Carolina. Last I heard you were breaking hearts in Hartford and following President Obama around the country." Tristan said. "Imagine my surprise, when I went back to my parents home after my first tour, and the word in the streets was of one Rory Gilmore turning down a mighty Huntzberger to follow the campaign trail..."

"Well, if you'd bothered to listen carefully, you'd know that one thing had nothing to do with the other. And Logan wasn't a Mighty Huntzberger..." Rory replied, annoyed. She really was not in the mood to discuss Logan with him. Why do people couldn't get that she was over him already. "And it's none of anyone's business what happened in our private lives... And for the record, it's Rory. Not Mary. You should know it by now."

Now, that really made him smile. He didn't even notice that he was not the only one smiling at the commentary. Justin looked like a kid in a candy store, listening to the two of them bantering.

"Now, see, that's the Rory Gilmore I remembered. I was wondering how many times it would take it for you to chew me out for calling you Mary, _Mary_." Tristan baited her, one more time.

This time, Rory ignored him, turned to the two soldiers that were watching the banter back and forth with amusement, and said with a frown: "Don't you two have anything to do here? Besides watching your Captain behave like a 16 year old boy?"

_Boy, she really hasn't changed a bit. Still the same bossy, easy to rile, beautiful small town girl. _Tristan thought. Then it dawned on him that his two friends were having a field day, watching him make a fool of himself in front of her. Heck, they were having a field day watching their _Captain _make a fool of himself, period. _Okay, time to stop that_, he told himself.

"Well, if you two don't mind, I'll escort Miss Gilmore back to her car, so she can be on her way. I'm sure if she needs anything more for her article, she knows where to find it, right? So, let's get going, shall we?" And continued, placing his hand in the small of her back, and guiding them to the door. "Looking good, today, Ryan. This round of physical therapy is going smoother than the last, right? Justin, don't follow me." He told, pointedly, his best friend. "Have a good day, boys."

And with that, Tristan dismissed the men and left the room with Rory. He figured he had at least a couple of minutes before Justin figured out who Rory Gilmore really was, if he didn't already.

Tristan escorted Rory back to the car, wondering if he should ask for her number. The two of them were walking in silence, both lost in their memories of their Chilton years. _She really did grow up very nicely_, Tristan thought, looking at the more sophisticated version of the girl that haunted his dreams for so long... "So..." he started, not really knowing what to say, now that they were alone.

"So... " Rory copied him, but smiling lightly. "I don't know about you, but I was glad to see you, Tristan. You look good. All grown up, especially in this uniform!" She said, checking him out. "I think I'd like to know how did you go from that boy who was kicked out of school for breaking into a safe to being Captain DuGrey."

"Why, Miss Gilmore, are you asking me out? After all this years you finally succumbed to my charm? I think I really have to revisited my nickname for you..." he smirked.

"Shut up, Tristan. " Rory said, exasperated. She was beginning to think that this wasn't a really good idea. But she didn't know anyone in North Carolina, and having a friend here would be really nice. Even if it had to be Tristan.

"Okay, okay. I'm sorry! I guess old habits die hard!" he said. "But sure, it would be nice to hear the tales of one Rory Gilmore. I seem to be missing lots of pieces from the puzzle that is your current life. So, I heard you're living in Durham, now?"

"Yep. Almost a week now. But grandma made it look like as if I've been living here half my life. Here," she said, taking her card out of her purse "this is my new card, with my phone number and address. Feel free to stop by anytime!"

And with one last look, she got into the car and left a dumbfolded Tristan looking at the card in his hands. _Damn_. _This really wasn't the girl I was expecting. _He though. T_he Rory Gilmore I knew would never have invited me over like _that. He stopped dead in his tracks. _Is this a date? That's never happened before. No. It wasn't a date. Couldn't be. Does she thinks it is a date? God, I'm getting to old for that..._


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

As soon as Tristan came back inside, Justin was high on his tail. "So," Justin said, "That was Mary, right? The girl from your school back home?"

Tristan ignored him and just kept walking in the direction of the training center. He really needed a run right now. A long, exhausting run, where the only thing he would be able to think about was to put one foot in front of the other, and keep breathing. Because it would be a long, long day if he didn't manage to get that girl out of his mind.

Justin stop in front of the training center, and saw his friend and Captain take off his usual training uniform and go for the sweats and running shoes. _So, that's the girl he used to talk about. It has to be. Tristan hates running, and he only does that when he needs to clear his head. In Military School it would always be after one of his father's visits. Or when he was thinking about his Mary."_ Justin mused.

He turned and walked back to Ryan's room. He knew that he wouldn't get anything out of Tristan right now. Maybe after his run, he would cool down enough to talk about it. In the mean time, he would go find out what Ryan thought about the reporter.

Tristan hit the gym hard that day. He ran almost five miles, and when that wasn't enough to take his mind out of Rory, he decided to lift some weights. But nothing he did seemed to do the trick. He couldn't stop thinking about that damn card. He showered, and decided to finish his duties for the day and go home.

Meanwhile, Ryan was telling Justin all he could gather about the reporter during his interview. He didn't know Captain DuGrey for that long, just the two years that they served together, since he enlisted. But Justin was friends with him since the military academy.

Justin and Tristan had roomed together at Oak Ridge Military Academy, and then at West Point. And then, they decided to be based in North Carolina for their obligatory five years of active duty. Tristan's family, being from Connecticut, were not happy with his decision. But Justin had grown up in North Carolina, and only left the state when he was accepted to West Point. But for both of them, Raleigh was home nowadays.

Ryan didn't really know what happened in one of their rescue missions, but when they returned, Tristan was promoted to Captain, and made the request for Justin to stay on his unit. After three years, Ryan joined their team, and despite the age difference, he became fast friends with Justin, and Tristan by default.

But until today, he had never heard of any girl that had manage to capture DuGrey's attentions for more than five minutes. Sure, they went out from time to time, and they all had their share of girls. But not for more than a couple of dates. So, when Justin started asking questions about that reporter, Ryan was more then happy to oblige.

Tristan made his way back to Ryan's room later that day in time to hear their opinions about what happened today. And was happy to know that both of his friends had taken a like to Rory. He was almost certain that Justin knew who Rory was, but was just as certain that Ryan had no idea.

"So, DuGrey, are you going to just stand over there or are you going to talk about this morning, now?" Justin started.

"What's there to talk about? It was just someone that I used to know from back home, whom I had not seen since I got shipped off to North Carolina." Tristan said, trying to dismiss this conversation.

"Yeah, sure..." Justin said. "And you just ran five miles today because you're really into running, right?" he continued.

"Wait, you were running? You hate to run! You only do that when your-" Ryan started but was cut off by Tristan.

"I felt like it, okay? Now, I just stopped by to see if Ryan needed something, and to say that I'm going home. That's it."

"I'm okay, Captain. Don't worry about me. The Docs said that they think I will be able to go back home in the end of the week." Ryan answered, changing the subject. But Justin was not ready to do that yet. So, when Tristan turned around to get to his car and go home, he was just behind him. "Hey, DuGrey, wait a sec..." he shouted.

"I'm going home, Justin." Tristan replied. He really didn't want to talk to Justin yet.

"Yeah, sure, I got it. I just wanted to know how you were. You know. Because it's not everyday that the girl of your dreams just pops up out of nowhere, totally blindsiding you. Must have been a shock, seeing her like that. But hey, from all you said about her, I was kind of not expecting that hug. Man, she was all over you!" Justin said, totally ignoring his friends wishes of not talking about that. Justin wasn't one to drop something before he got what he wanted.

"I'm fine, Justin. Just fine. And as soon as get the confirmation that she didn't ask me on a date I'll be even better." Tristan blurted out. "And, for the record, she wasn't all over me. It was just a friendly hug." He new that there was no way out of this conversation. Justin could be as stubborn as him, on his best days. And he had a whole day to be stubborn about it.

"Wait, what? She asked you on a date?" Justin yanked his friend around, when they reached Tristan's car. _Friendly my ass... _He thought

"No, I'm sure she didn't. She wouldn't..." Tristan said. "She doesn't even like me like that." He continued, thinking about all the times he asked her out when they were at Chilton.

"Well, I beg to differ, man. Maybe _Mary_ didn't like you like that, but that girl in there, that had interviewed Ryan this morning? The one that jumped in your arms and then proceeded to have the weirdest form of foreplay I've ever seen? I'm pretty sure she does." he said. "She asked you out, on a date? That's a surprise."

"They are the same girl, Justin. I'm sure you already got that." Tristan said, not really listening to most of what his friend said. And then, he opened the door to his car, and got inside, effectively ending the conversation. He just needed to get home and stop thinking about her. So he started the car, turned on the radio, and started driving.

Twenty minutes later, it downed on him that this was not his usual way home. He didn't even notice the left turn he made, to take the interstate to Durham. _Shit. Well, it seems I'm not going home just yet... _Tristan thought, halfway to Rory's new address. _I just hope she wasn't kidding when she told me to stop by anytime._


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

As soon as Rory got into the car, and could control her thundering heartbeat, she picked up the phone and dialed the first person that came into her mind.

"Hey beautiful! I wasn't expecting to hear from you so soon..." she heard on the phone. Rory took the time to look at the number she dialed and asked, confused:

"Jake?"

"Sure, beautiful. Who else could it be?" He continued, trying hard no to laugh.

"What the hell are you doing in my mother's house, answering her phone?" She asked, trying not very successfully to understand what was going on.

"Well. I've got good news, great news, and not so great news. What would you like to hear first?" Jake asked.

"Well, ok... start with the good news..." Rory said, knowing that it wouldn't matter how many times she asked, she wasn't going to have an answer as to why Jake was at her mother's just yet. So she went along with him.

"Well, do you remember how I got that interview that I didn't want to you about?" Jake said.

"Sure I remember. How was it? Are you going to tell me this time?"

"Well, if you want to hear the news, then I have to tell you, don't I?" Jake joked.

"Jake Austin Matthews! Just tell me already, so I can get to my own set of news..."

"Okay, okay. Well, I didn't want to tell you about it because it was Huntzberger that got me the interview." Jake started. "He told me your old boss at the Stamford Gazette was looking for a new photographer, because his current one just gave him her notice. She's getting married and moving to Florida, can you believe it?"

"Oh my God!" Rory screamed on the phone. "I can't believe you didn't tell me about it. Congratulations, Jake. You're going to love working at the Gazette."

"Yes, I really am! And it seems that you were right. Logan did like me. He wouldn't try and help me get a job back home if he didn't." Jake said. He, as Rory, was from Connecticut, and moved to DC after he graduated from Princeton, a few months before her.

"Told you so. I don't get why people can't accept that both Logan and I moved on... But that really doesn't tell me what you're doing at my house." Rory continued.

"Well, the good news is that I got the job, and the great news is that I already found a place to live in Stamford. But the not so great news is that it wont be ready in less than three weeks." Jake finished.

"Oh, wow. So, what does it mean?" Rory asked, still not getting it.

"Well, see, I called your mother, to see if she knew any hotels in the neighborhood that I could stay for two weeks, because I have to start next week, and she told me to stay in your room until my place was ready." Jake said.

"Jake, can I talk to my mother for an instant, please?" Rory said after a moment, not knowing how she felt having Jake living at her house, in her old room, for two weeks.

"Uhh... Sure Rory. I'm getting her on the phone. Just... well... never mind." Jake said, not wanting to say anything wrong. He really thought that Rory wouldn't mind. Lorelai assured him that she wouldn't mind. After all, they were kind of like best friends. especially after breaking up.

"Hey, babe, what's up? How's North Carolina treating you?" Lorelai said on the phone.

"Mom. Tell me this is a joke. Tell me that you didn't tell Jake that he could stay in my room for two weeks..." Rory asked.

"Well, hun, mommy can't really do that, you see. Because, you know, it's in the Gilmore Girl's rule book. When a pretty boy like Jake calls and tells that he is homeless for two whole weeks, and you know how mommy likes having pretty boys living at her house..." Lorelai continued

"Mom, put Jake back on the phone, please." Rory sighed.

"... especially when you are far, far away from mommy, all the way in North Carolina, and I am all alone here in the Hollow..." she continued, not really hearing Rory.

"Mom, please, just... put Jake back on the phone." Rory tried one more time.

"...And really, if you think about it, I mean, the way that Luke is now working really long hours, mommy kind of needs a pretty boy at home, to... to... to change the lamps, and, ooh, make breakfast... You wouldn't want mommy to starve now.." Lorelai continued, ignoring Rory's plea to put Jake on the phone.

"Mom. MOM. Stop talking and put Jake back on the phone." Rory finally had had enough.

"Oh. Okay. Anything for you, babe. Jake!" Lorelai screamed. "Here. It's all good. Rory wants to talk to you again. I said she wouldn't mind, didn't I?" Lorelai told him, giving him back the phone with a smile.

Rory groaned and rolled her eyes, even if her mom couldn't see it. Now, she really was going to have to be okay with Jake living at her room. After all, it was just for two weeks. And he was used to Lorelai's antics by now.

"So, moving on. New job, living at my old room, really good news. Can we talk about me now?" Rory said. She really needed to talk to someone about today. And in reality, Jake was even better than her mom in this instance. He didn't really know much about Chilton's Tristan. Or that she really had had a tine, teeny crush on, him back in high school. An almost insignificant one. Nothing that anyone should worry about.

"Sure. Shoot. How was your first day? You were supposed to interview some soldier injured in Afghanistan, right?" Jake asked, relieved that Rory wasn't really mad that he was staying at her mom's.

"Well. Yes. It was fine. Hey, by the way, do you remember that guy from Chilton who used to get on my nerves, calling me Mary, and then was sent to Military School? Well, he now is the Captain of the unit that this guy was serving while injured. Isn't that funny? And I think that I just asked him out on a date. I'm not sure." Rory said. After a moment, not hearing an answer, she continued. "Jake, are you there?"

"What do you mean you're not sure if you asked him out?" Jake asked her, getting to the point. He didn't really remembered much about this guy, just what Rory just said about him now. That he used to get on her nerves. And that he was later sent to Military School. Oh, and that he ended up making Rory having to kiss Paris on the Romeo and Juliet play. He remember _that_ part very well.

"Well, I may have given him my card, and told him he was welcome to stop by anytime. You know. To catch up..." Rory said slowly. _Damn. I did ask him on a date, didn't I?" _she thought.

"Well, it seems, Rory Gilmore, that you just got yourself a date. No guy in his right mind would think a lovely girl like you inviting them over to 'catch up' was not a date... " Jake said laughing. He couldn't wait to tell Lorelai about it... Rory really was naive when it came to guys and dating. Even after the 'Logan Huntzberger experience', as they both were calling it now.

"Well, then, what do I do now? It wasn't supposed to be a date..." Rory said, but in reality, she was not really paying attention to Jake anymore. They were entering Durham now, and she had to stop by the paper, and then get home. She didn't have time to think about Tristan now.

"Well, beautiful. You get home, get all dolled-up on a pretty little dress, and have some fun. You're entitle to have some fun, you know that, right?" Jake said.

"Jake. I have to go. Say hi to mom for me, and tell her that I'll call her back later." Rory said and hung up.

The rest of the day passed on a blur. She made some notes about her interview, promised her editor that she would have a draft ready by thursday, with enough time to get it on her new column, on sunday. She finished some paperwork, and walked back home at around four in the afternoon. She took a quick shower, got dressed in her ratty old Yale shirt and some shorts and remembered that she didn't get anything to eat all day, except for a bagel for breakfast.

Tristan was the last thing on her mind, right now, and the so-called date already forgotten. Before she could take inventory of her kitchen and get something to eat, she heard the doorbell ringing. She opened the door to find Tristan on her doorstep, looking as good as ever on a pair of jean and a grey tee-shirt that had to have seen better days.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**A special thanks for TheMavster, for being my new Beta! :)**

* * *

"Wow..." Was all that Tristan could say. His mind went blank as he looked her up and down, taking in her beautiful legs, her damp hair and all in between. He couldn't believe how good she could look in an oversized tee-shirt and a pair of shorts. His mouth went dry.

"Tristan!" Rory finally got out. "I... I didn't think that you'd really stop by today."

_Snap out of it, Tristan!_ He told himself. He cleared his throat and tried to remember how to talk. "Was I not supposed to?" He asked. "Because you gave me this card, and told me to stop by anytime. Should I come back at another time?" He said, and couldn't help looking her up and down once again. _Damn. And you had trouble trying to stop thinking about her in those sexy, Chilton uniforms back then... Good luck trying to stop thinking about her now, DuGrey._ He thought. _Is she really not wearing anything underneath that tee-shirt?_

"No, I mean. I just wasn't expecting company today..." Rory said, feeling a little to exposed and a lot embarrassed about her lack of clothing.

"I can see. I didn't really think that you'd choose to wear _that_ to a date." Tristan smirked, letting his old-self take over. "Not that I'm complaining. I like my dates with that just scrubbed, fresh from the shower, staying-in attire." He continued, crossing his arms and leaning on her doorway. Something inside of him caught on fire when he noticed that she blushed over his commentary.

"I should change... I was just getting out of the shower and trying to find something to eat. I'm starving. " Rory said, motioning inside, and closing the door. _I'm not going to get embarrassed. I'm not getting embarrassed. I am not going to get embarrassed. Logan and Jake used to see me like that all the time. _She thought. _Yeah, sure. But they also had already seen me in much less clothing before that._ She argued with herself in her head.

"You're hungry? But it's not even six o'clock yet." Tristan said, trying not to think about her in the shower. She was starting to slowly drive him insane.

"Well, it seems that I was too busy to have lunch..." She started. _And then, too worried about seeing you again today to remember to eat. _She continued in her head.

"Well, then, if you'd like, I could call for some take out, while you get dressed." Tristan offered, proud of himself for having enough discipline to avoid pressing her to the wall and having his way with her.

Rory went into her room to change while Tristan was on the phone. "Is pizza okay for you?" She heard him ask. "Sure. One with everything on it. And some breadsticks. With extra cheese." She answered. "And there's some beer in the fridge if you're interested."

"Beer? I can't picture Rory Gilmore having beer. Tell me it isn't so. First, I arrive here to see you in a ratty tee-shirt and shorts, and now you're telling me we're having pizza and beer for dinner. This must be a dream. Never in my life I had a first date like this one." Tristan couldn't help but joke. But as soon as he saw her in the door, walking towards him in the kitchen, he lost his train of thought, again. She traded the tee-shirt and shorts for a barely-there summer dress. It was short, light blue, and almost see-through in the kitchen light, when she was standing at the doorway like that. He could swear that his jaw was dropped open.

"Well, first, this isn't a date. And second... why are you looking at me like that?" She asked.

He couldn't believe that this girl was the same Rory Gilmore he used to picture in his mind. The Rory Gilmore he remembered would never, in a million years, tease someone like this, or wear this kind of clothes. He watched as a look of recognition crossed her eyes, he could swear he saw a glint in them, and then, she opened the fridge, got a couple of beers out, and then open the cabinet next to it to get the glasses. Tristan had to look away, to get that image erased from his mind. The dress was short enough, that when she raised herself on her tip-toes and reached for the damn glasses, he could almost see the beginning of her curves.

And then, if it wasn't enough, she breezed past him on her way out, almost touching him, gave him one of the beers, and asked in a sultry tone: "Aren't you coming?" And then, she just sat there, on her living room, as if nothing had happened. _Is she flirting with me?_ He thought.

Tristan was amazed at how much she changed, from the shy, small town girl to the temptress he was seeing today. And, the worst part was she wasn't even really trying to. He was doomed. He didn't know what to do. He didn't think she would be interested in him now, when she clearly hated him in high school. Sure, he was a jerk back then, but he did like her. Maybe in the beginning it was all about the chase. But when he kissed her on that piano bench, he did like her. Want her. It seemed as if he never stopped wanting her. Should he risk it now? Was Justin right? He didn't know.

He followed Rory to the living room, and sat down next from her. They talked all night, in the middle of a lot of heavy flirting. He talked about Military School and West Point, and how he found himself in the army. How the discipline and the order were exactly what he needed to snap out of his old life. He told her about his friendship with Justin, and Ryan, and the other guys in his unit, and about how life in North Carolina suited him. He told her about Sara, the only real relationship he had, and how they broke up, before he was deployed the first time.

And Rory talked about how she ended up attending Yale, with Paris as her roommate. She told him about being editor at the Yale Daily news, and about Logan. She told him how he proposed, and why she said no. She talked about her job at the campaign trail, and then at the Washington Post. She told him about Jake, and how he was moving to Connecticut to start a new job as well.

They talked about nearly everything over pizza and beers. He could feel her checking him out now and then, or blushing over a story. She could feel him staring at her from time to time too. She got up to take the pizza box and the empty cans to the kitchen, and he followed, thinking about helping her.

But as soon as he saw her pulling her hair up to do the dishes, he couldn't stop thinking about kissing her neck, all the way down to her shoulders. He was practically licking his lips just thinking about it. Rory sensed the shift in the air, and turned around, to see the lust in his eyes. She immediately remembered the way he used to look at her, years ago, at Chilton. Or more precisely, the way he looked at her, sitting in that piano bench. And she suddenly knew what she wanted.

"Do you want something, Tristan?" She asked, aware of the double meaning in her words.

"Yeah, I think I do." Tristan answered, and started to walk in her direction, trapping her between his body and the kitchen sink. "I really think I do..." She could hear the meaning behind his words as well. See the desire in his eyes. "What about you, do _you_ know what you want?" He asked then, in a low voice, that sent shivers down her spine. He was right in front of her, but not close enough that she couldn't evade him, if she tried to.

"I... I think that I want you to kiss me now..." Rory said, having had enough of the sexual tension between them. After all, it's not like she wasn't thinking about it. She thought about kissing him a lot today, really kissing him.

"Really?" He asked, stepping closer yet, and resting his hands on the sink, on each side of her, keeping her between his stretched arms.

"Really..." She said, trying really hard to breath. And not grab him and just kiss him and get it over with.

"You're sure?" He smirked, knowing that he was not the only one dying from the anticipation of this kiss. He could see her eyes darkening with lust, feel her heated skin. And then he leaned even closer, almost pressing himself into her.

"I'm asking you to, aren't I?" Rory murmured. He was slowly driving her out of her mind. And she was sure it was on purpose. She had to fight the urge to close the barely there distance between them. But she was going to stay put, and wait for him to press his lips to hers. She was passed the point of no return, and he hadn't even kissed her yet.

"Just making sure." He said. Still not touching her. "You're not going to run away crying this time, are you?" He continued, really enjoying himself this time. He couldn't believe that he was actually going to get to kiss the girl this time. He was trying really hard not to touch her, to make her want him to touch her just as much as he wanted to touch her.

"Just shut up and kiss me already!" She said, and closed her eyes as he moved even closer. They were so close she could almost feel his lips on hers. But he still held on for a couple of seconds. She didn't know how someone could have this kind of self-control. That _he_ could have this kind of self-control. And it made her want him even more. _Damn him and his military training! _Rory thought.

"Yes, Ma'am." Tristan responded in a whisper, after having enough of the anticipation, and slowly covered her lips with his, in a feather light kiss, still fighting to restrain himself from touching her. And loosing inch by inch little pieces of his self-control. He wanted to kiss her so badly. He wanted this kiss to mean too much, to convey too much. _Just go slow, this time. Take your time. Savor her. Pace yourself. _He thought, but couldn't stop his hands from touching her, lightly at first, starting at her hands, and coming up her arms, slowly brushing her hair past her shoulders, and resting one hand at the back of her neck.

And even though she asked for it, was waiting for it, she was still not prepared for the riot of feelings that this kiss brought on her. It was sweet and loving and full of longing at first, that she was sure she was in heaven. She sighed, and melted into him. And then, in a mere second, he tightened his hold on her, holding her in place, tipped his head slightly to the left and deepen the kiss.

Rory just lost it. It was as if she was on fire. She didn't know it was possible to be kissed like that. To be desired like that. She hadn't taken into account, when she told him to kiss her, that this kiss was more than ten years in the making.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**A special thanks for TheMavster, for being my new Beta! :)**

* * *

Rory woke up the next day and saw the disheveled figure lying next to her. She should freak out, shouldn't she? After all, this was Tristan DuGrey sleeping next to her. She didn't know if it would be better if he was awake or not, but she was sure it wouldn't make it any less awkward either way. She tried to get up and off the bed without waking him, and was sure she had succeeded, when she disentangled herself from the sheets and managed to get up. _At least I'm still dressed_, she thought. She closed her eyes, trying to clear her head, but instead, a myriad of pictures appeared in her mind.

She was hot and bothered in no time at all just thinking about yesterday's endless make-out session. Before Tristan, she had never felt a kiss turn her body into fire like that in no time at all. It was amazing, more then amazing. _Man, he sure knows how to kiss, _she thought. She shook her head to rid herself of this thoughts and decided to jump in the shower.

Tristan opened his eyes in time to see Rory blushing furiously, and making her way to the bathroom, without locking the door. He couldn't believe that he was waking up in her bed. Worst, he couldn't believe he was waking up in her bed _without_ having slept with her. What is it about this girl that makes him lose control like that in one minute, and then want to protect her by not sleeping with her in their first date. He heard the shower start, and he thought about joining her, but wasn't sure if the open door was an invitation or not.

He sighed and was thinking about what the hell he was going to do when he heard her phone ringing. The clock on her nightstand was blinking. 6h45. _Who the hell would be calling her at home at this hour,_ he thought. He heard Rory asking him if he could answer the phone and take a message, because she hadn't programmed the answering machine yet. He sighed and picked up the phone.

"Rory Gilmore residence" he answered, not really knowing what to say as a greeting.

"Uh... Hello. Wow, this is awkward... Uhh, is Rory there?" Said the voice on the phone. A male voice. Tristan could feel himself slowly getting angry. Who the hell was calling his girlfr- he stopped himself in time. She was not his girlfriend. They hadn't even slept together. He took a deep breath to control the bitterness in his voice.

"She's kind of busy right know. May I ask who's calling?" he finally got out.

"Uh... Sure. This is Jake. Well, could you ask her to call me at her mom's? I really need to ask her something... " Jake said, before he realized what he just did. That had to be Tristan, answering Rory's phone. And it wasn't even 7 o'clock in the morning yet. _Holly crap on a cracker, _he thought_._

"Sure." Tristan said, gritting his teeth, wanting nothing more than to hang up the phone right now. _What the hell is Rory's ex-boyfriend doing at her mother's house,_ he thought.

"Uh... okay then. Thanks. Cheers." Jake said, a bit flustered, and hung up. _Rory is going to kill me, _Jake thought. Sure, there was nothing between them right now, but he didn't even know if she told Tristan about him, or how he was staying at her mom's for a few weeks.

Tristan hung up the phone and counted to ten, hoping to cool down a bit, before Rory got out of the shower, all thoughts about following her in forgotten. When that didn't work he cursed, thinking about having to run another five miles today just to get this girl out of his head.

When Rory got out of the bathroom, wrapped in a tiny towel, Tristan was at lost for words. All he could think about was tossing her into the bed and ravishing her, until he could think about nothing else, especially another man touching her. And he would have done just that if she hadn't opened her mouth.

"Tristan? Who was on the phone?" She asked, not noticing his clenched hands or the darkening of his eyes. She was still having trouble just breathing, the shower having done nothing to appease her desire for him. She had to get a hold of herself, if she wanted to have anything done today, besides thinking about last night.

"What the hell is Jake doing at your house?" He asked, not really thinking clearly. Because if he was, he would know better than to snap at her like that.

Rory grew uncomfortable almost immediately, hearing the tone of his voice. She didn't even notice her lack of attire for this particular conversation. Her mind was still foggy from all the things he did to her yesterday, and the one's she just imagined him doing, while in the shower.

"He's staying there, until his apartment in Stanford is ready. And it's my mother's house, not mine. Not that this is any of your business." She said, slowly, with a mixture of awkwardness and desire in her voice.

"Right. You're right. We just spent the night together, and your boyfriend calls you in the morning, from your mother's house, but it's none of my business." He continued, stepping closer to her, backing her to a corner. He was angry.

"First of all, he's not my boyfriend, he's my friend. And he needed a place to stay for a couple of days. And it wasn't even my idea, it was mom's." She said, tightening the hold on her towel, as if just now aware of how little she was wearing, and how close to her he was. She swallowed, and continued. "And second, we didn't spend the night together." she started, but stopped at the look in his eyes. She couldn't believe it, she was growing hotter by the second just from the way he was looking at her. She should be angry, shouldn't she?

"We might as well had!" Tristan exploded, losing the shreds of self-control he was still attempting to hold on to. "Or have you already forgotten the way I made you feel yesterday night, even when I was barely touching you?" he continued, not really registering in his mind what he was saying, or how Rory was responding to his anger. He didn't even notice that he took another step in her direction, and was now almost pressing her to the wall.

_Om my God, he's jealous..._ Rory thought, like it was some kind of epiphany. She gathered her wits, and decided that she was not going to be intimidated by him, no matter how hot this angry jealousy thing sounded inside her head. "You have no right to talk to me like that. It's not my fault that Jake called me. You know we're not together anymore." Rory said, trying to sound mad, but in reality, it was not anger at all what she was feeling. Her near nakedness, along with the things Tristan was saying to her, and the pictures in her mind about what they did last night were making her lightheaded. Crazy with lust. She wasn't that kind of girl, the one that gets excited in this kind of situations, but right now, it was becoming impossible to think, much less fight. _Oh God... _she thought, as if just now realizing what was about to happen.

"He must think otherwise if he's willing to spend some time at your _mother's_ house, calling you in the morning like that." He told her in a low voice full of venom, his eyes hard as steel right now. "What about you, huh? Were you thinking about him to, while you were in bed with me? Was that the reason why you wouldn't go any further?" He continued without thinking. When it dawned on him what he just said, it was too late: before he could begin to apologize, she slapped him.

"You're a jerk, you know that, right? How could you think that I could kiss you like that while thinking about someone else. And for your information, I was ready to sleep with you last night. You were the one stopping, not me." She yelled the last part, and tried to move past him. She was too close to him to be able to think straight, and she needed to get the upper hand right now.

But, unfortunately, that slap did nothing to appease the desire she was feeling. She didn't even noticed that she all but dropped the towel when she slapped him, nor that she just told him that she would have slept with him. But Tristan noticed it all right.

His mind just snapped, hearing that declaration. Then, as if hearing wasn't enough, he noticed for the first time the desire in her eyes, and the way that she was holding the towel, not covering her body at all. He was too close to her to be able to think straight. In a swift movement, he grabbed her by the wrist, and a second later she was being pressed against the wall, his body pushing up against hers as he kissed her fiercely.

He could apologize later.


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Rory couldn't believe what had happened this morning. She didn't just had hot, angry sex with Tristan, the kind of sex that leaves you tingling still everywhere, pining for more. She didn't know how to feel about that. And, on top of it all, she still had to call Jake. She groaned, and decided that she would not think about Tristan today.

She had fallen asleep afterwards, thoroughly exhausted, and hadn't seen him leaving her bed. Which she thought was for the best, because she still didn't know what to say to him. She had never lost control like that before, and it scared her. She needed to figure out where they stood. But before that, she really had to get up and go to work. It was after ten o'clock, and she was already late. She texted her editor, saying that she was going to be late and got into the shower.

When she left the shower, she looked at herself in the mirror and groaned. She had small bite marks all over her body, along with some bruises, and she blushed just remembering how she got them. Her whole body ached, but she had never been more satisfied then this morning. Sex with Tristan was amazing, more then amazing. She didn't know that her body could respond like that, nor that she was that flexible.

He could get her all worked up just by looking at her. She closed her eyes, and remembered the way his hands touched her body, the way he had wound her hair around his fist to hold her in place, as his other hand snuck around her body, pulling her closer to him, and kissed the daylights out of her. Or the way he himself shuddered when she responded to his touch. His kisses were not light or sweet this time, they were forceful and bruising as he took all that she had, and the worst part was that she enjoyed it, doing nothing to stop him.

She had to stop thinking about it, or else she would need another shower to cool her off. Nobody had ever managed to get that reaction out of her: not Dean, not Jake, not even Logan. What was it about him that had so much power over her? She didn't remember feeling like this in high school, but then again, she didn't know how to handle him in high school either. Maybe if he hadn't been sent to Military School they would have been able to stay friends, maybe start something new in the future. But the thing is, he was sent to Military School, and she couldn't change that. And thinking about what could have been wouldn't solve anything right now.

Then she remembered that he always had that aura of power, even as a sixteen year old boy at Chilton. But this Tristan, the _Captain DuGrey _Tristan, had more that an aura of power about him. He was honorable, and he was respected, on top of that commanding presence, and she would be lying to herself if she said she wasn't falling for him. She was falling, and fast, and she needed to get a hold of herself before it was too late. _It is way too soon for me to fall in love again_, she tried to tell herself, but even she knew that she was lying.

She was finishing getting dressed and went to grab a cup of coffee in the kitchen, before going to work, when she saw the note on the counter. _I'll call you later. We should talk. I'm sorry for hurting you. _She stood there, with the note in her hands, for a few seconds. She read it twice more, before she put it down and poured her some coffee. She needed a moment to pull herself together.

She sighed and told herself, while sipping her coffee: _I guess we'll talk later, then._

She went to work, but her mind was elsewhere. She called Jake during lunch, but he didn't answer his phone, so she left a message saying that she would try and call him again tonight. She ate half of a sandwich and picked at her fries, but she wasn't really hungry. She came back to the paper and was working on her article, when her phone rang, startling her. She didn't recognize the number, but she was sure it was Tristan's. She bit her lip, trying to think of what to say to him, and answered the phone.

**"**Rory Gilmore" she said, professionally. She was, after all, at the paper and had to at least look professionally, even if property was the last thing that was on her mind.

**"**Hey. It's me." Tristan said quietly on the phone.

**"**Hey."

**"**I'm sorry." He started, not really knowing what to say to her. He had never taken someone in anger like that before. He had been completely out of his mind with jealousy this morning, and he hadn't meant most of what he said. But when he saw her in nothing but a towel, and recognized the lust in her yes, he just lost it. He never wanted someone as badly as he wanted her.

**"**For what?" Rory asked bluntly. "For getting jealous or for sleeping with me?"

Tristan sighed defeatedly. "Can we talk in person, and not do this over the phone?" He asked. "This really is something that I don't want to do over the phone."

**"**Sure. My place?" She asked, as if it was nothing.

**"**Would you want me to come over? I'd understand if you didn't" He said softly.

_He's ashamed of the way he had behaved. _She thought, trying to figure him out. _Well, he's an honorable man, who prides himself of his restrain and self-control and is thinking that he had hurt me this morning. That's why he left while I was sleeping_. She made up her mind then and there.

**"**Yeah. I want you to come over." She told him, in that no-nonsense tone of voice, leaving no room for arguments.

**"**Okay. I'll come over, then."


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

******A special thanks for TheMavster, for being my new Beta! :)**

* * *

Tristan left Rory's house in a hurry. He thought about waiting for her to wake up, to apologize and talk to her, but part of him was ashamed of what he did, especially after seeing the marks that he had left on her body. The nauseated feeling took over, and he left her a note and just ran.

He got to the base a little before his men, and he was glad for that, because he wasn't in the mood to deal with Justin, or any of his men for that matter, just now. So he went to the training center, ran that damn five miles again, took a shower, and started the day early.

At lunchtime, Justin caught up with him. He took one look at his friend's face and knew that something was wrong, but when he opened his mouth to ask him about it, Tristan shook his head, and looked away. Justin got the message and stayed quiet for most of the day, leaving him alone, but when he saw Tristan getting ready to leave the base early, he decided to do something.

**"**Hey man, getting out already?" Justin asked.

**"**Yeah. Got some business to take care of before heading home." Tristan said, trying to evade the question.

**"**Look man, I can see that you don't want to talk about whatever put you in this mood, but I'm here to help, if you need it "

**"**Okay." Tristan said, but made no move to start talking. When he made no move to leave also, Justin decided to just wait him out. It worked every damn time. After a couple of minutes, Tristan sighed and gave up. He really needed some help this time. "I think I blew it."

**"**Right. Are we talking about Mary?" When Tristan nodded, he continued. "Why?"

**"**Why what?"

**"**Why'd you think you blew it?" He tried, as if he was talking to a child.

**"**I lost my temper. Said some stupid things."

**"**So you apologize. Did you try it yet?" Justin asked, knowing that there was more to it than his friend was telling him.

**"**Couldn't".

**"**Why not?" It was like pulling teeth, trying to get Tristan to open up sometimes, but Justin was used to it, after almost fifteen years.

**"**Because when I left this morning she was sleeping. I thought about waking her up, but then, I saw all those marks in her body, ones I had put there, and I just... I ran." Tristan confessed. There. It was out in the world.

**"**Wait, you spent the night with her?"

**"**Kind of."

**"**How exactally do you 'kind of' spend the night with someone?" Justin continued, attempting to hide his amusement, as he knew his friend would not appreciate it.

**"**Didn't I just tell you that I didn't want to talk about it?" Tristan vented, ignoring the question. "Why the hell couldn't you just leave me alone."

**"**Because I like you. I don't always know why, but I do. Now, I am asking real nicely, how in the world do you 'kind of' spend the night with someone? Did you crash on her couch?" Justin tried again, this time not even bothering to hide his amusement.

**"**Not exactally. I slept in her bed, I just didn't sleep _with_her." Tristan finally told him.

**"**Lost your touch?" Justin smirked.

Tristan couldn't help but scoff at his friend's choice of words. "Nope, I still got it, you don't need to worry about that. She's just... I don't know... special."

**"**So, what happened in the morning, if you didn't sleep with her." He asked, puzzled.

**"**I did. Just not that night, this morning." Tristan sighed, and decided to get it over with and tell his friend the whole story. _Maybe he'd break a few bones, punching me in the face, like Rory should have done this morning, _he told himself. "Her phone rang, while she was in the shower and she asked me to answer it, because she hadn't installed her answering machine." He started slowly. Even if it was just Justin, he was still ashamed enough having to tell him.

**"**So, you answered her phone. So what?" Justin kept trying.**"**It was Jake." Tristan said, his eyes darkening just thinking about it. "Her ex-boyfriend, Jake, who's staying at her mother's house until his apartment in Stanford is ready."

Justin just smiled, and waited a second, thinking about how to better mock his friend. "Didn't know you were the jealous type, DuGrey."

**"**I'm not." Tristan said, not really amused. "I'm really not. I just... I lost it. I thought that she was, you know, playing me, sleeping with me while waiting for her boyfriend to call her in the morning." He finished, thinking it sounded even worst when he said it out loud.

**"**But you haven't slept with her before answering the phone, and this Jake guy is not really her boyfriend anymore, right?" Justin asked, sobering up. He was making sure that he got it right, and when Tristan kept silent, and just nodded his head, he continued. "Man, you've got it bad. You've got it so bad that it's almost funny. You're an idiot."

**"**She already told me that. She called me a jerk, and slapped me." Tristan said.

**"**Oh man, I'm liking this girl more and more, already. She's got spunk. She really slapped you?" Justin asked, finding it vastly amusing that his best friend was a moron.

**"**Yep, she did. And, at that time, she was wearing just a towel." Tristan continued in a hard voice, attempting to get his point across. This was not funny.

**"**Okay, stop right there DuGrey, I got the picture. I don't need to picture your girlfriend naked as well."

**"**She's not my girlfriend." Tristan replied annoyed.

**"**She's not your girlfriend, but you spent the night at her place, picked a fight because you were a jealous prick, got slapped in the face and then had hot, angry make-up sex with her anyway. Did I get it right?" Justin recounted it, more amused than before.

**"**I didn't say anything about having hot, angry sex. What are you, a girl?" Tristan said, but he was already seeing the irony of it. Justin was good.

**"**Well, you didn't need to." Justin finished. He crossed his arms, and waited for Tristan to finish.

**"**I left a note." Tristan continued. "I freaked, and I left a note. I have to call her, right?"

**"**You do man, you really do. You know what else you have to do? Grow a pair, and make sure she knows that you're together when you do it, that she's your girlfriend." Justin said, and then got up and left him alone. His work was done, now all he need to do was find the guys, and tell them the news. Their Captain was a moron.


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Tristan arrived at her doorstep later that night. Just like last night, he stood there for a moment, not really knowing what to say to her. He couldn't get it, why she wasn't mad at him. Or madder, in this case. He remembered Justin telling him to grow a pair, sighed and rang the bell. It was make it or break it, right?

Rory opened the door wearing jeans and a tee-shirt. Maybe it was for the better, because if she was wearing that ratty tee-shirt again, or worst, that dress, he would really lose his composure. He was sure of it.

**"**Can I come in?" Tristan asked politely. He hated to apologize, but he hated even more treating her so badly. And then, losing all his self-control and ravishing her. He had to apologize, and if she were stupid enough to accept his apologies, he would be a happy man.

Rory said nothing, just stepped aside and motioned for him to come in. She closed the door, and crossed her arms over her chest. He took one look at her wrists, and saw the marks there, too. He made the mistake of closing his eyes, trying to regain a little bit of dignity, and was washed with the memories from this morning. He saw himself taking her arms prisoner, above her head, and pressing down on her, holding her in place against the wall with his body. How in God's name they made it to the bed, he didn't know.

His eyes snapped open with the memory, and he gulped. He hoped that she wouldn't notice nor his distress, nor his arousal. But of course she saw both of it. She was a witty reporter, after all. She narrowed her eyes, and waited for him to start talking, grateful that she was wearing clothes this time. She didn't need a repeat of this morning. Well, actually, she did, if she was honest with herself, she really did. She remembered vividly how her body felt this morning.

**"**I don't know what to say to you other then I'm sorry." Tristan repeated what he already said on the phone, trying to ignore the desire he saw in her eyes too.

**"**Well, I'm asking you again. Sorry that you got jealous or sorry you slept with me?" Rory asked, thinking that she already knew the answer, and knowing too that she wasn't about to let him walk away again. Not this time.

**"**I'm not the jealous type." He said, in lieu of an actual answer.

**"**You could have fooled me."

**"**I'm not. It just... You make me crazy. I... I can't believe that you here, in North Carolina, within reach. I dreamed about getting to see you again, about taking you out, dating you. But I never dreamed about hurting you, I never wanted to hurt you. And I did." He confessed.

**"**It's okay." Rory said, taking a step closer, in an attempt to comfort him. After all, she didn't think that there was much to forgive. It wasn't like she didn't like it.

**"**It shouldn't be..." Tristan continued, thinking that he didn't deserve her, never deserved her.

**"**Tristan." Rory said softly, uncrossing her arms, as she took his hands in hers. "I get it. You were jealous, and you lost control. It's okay, you didn't hurt me."

She followed his eyes, as he lowered his gaze to her wrists, and saw the marks there. Then, she remembered the other marks and love bites and corrected herself.

"Well, you did. But you didn't really hurt me. Figuratively speaking." She continued, blushing slightly. "It was kind of hot."

Tristan released a breath he didn't know he was holding, and pulled her closer. _She's right, __it was hot, _he thought. But then every little thing she said or did, on purpose or otherwise, since she walked into that base turned him on.

"You like it rough, don't you, Mary?" He asked her, groaning, not really expecting an answer. He rested his head against hers, and continued.

"Do you know what you do to me, just by looking at me like that? With those big, blue, not-so-innocent eyes?" He said, and kissed her. He couldn't help but kiss her. She drives him crazy. And she was so perfectly innocent, that she didn't even get it, what she did to him.

She kissed him back, just as fiercely, battling for control, until she couldn't breath. And then she answered, teasing him.

"Yeah. I guess I do. Like it rough, I mean."

Tristan lost it, for the second time in the same day. He lost control, totally and completely. He didn't even know how they got to her bed, again, and he prayed that he didn't just tossed her there, but he was so crazy with need he wasn't thinking. He ravished her again.

A couple of hours later, still tangled in bed, he said:

"I can't keep doing this like that. I just... I have to know what we are doing here. Are we together? For real together? Because if we aren't..."

Rory didn't let he finish. She didn't need to.

"We are." She said, smiling.

**"**We are?" Tristan asked again. He needed to be sure.

**"**I'm not running away crying now, am I?" Rory smirked, turning his words back on him.

**"**It seems that you're not..." He smiled. "I think you need a new nickname. I don't think I can call you Mary anymore. Not after today." It was his time to smirk.

**"**Shut up, Tristan." She replied, not really annoyed.

**"**Yes, Ma'am."


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter. **

* * *

As Rory left the fifth store empty handed, she realized that she needed help. She picked up her phone and dialed the number from memory.

"Jake, I need your help." Rory said the minute that Jake answered his phone.

"Sure, beautiful. What can I do for you?" He was waiting for this call.

"I'm at the mall and I need a new dress. Shoes! I need shoes too." She let out an exasperated sigh. "I don't know where to start, and I'm already freaking out." Rory said. "I've already walked past most of the stores here, and I have absolutely no idea what to buy. It shouldn't be too hard to find a dress, right? So, why can't I do it right now?"

_Wow_, Jake thought._ A Gilmore Girl rant and a freak-out, all in the same call.__ I've been waiting for this to happen since Tristan answered her phone the other morning._

When Rory called Jake on Monday to tell him all about how she ran into Tristan in the middle of her first assignment, he knew that something was about to happen. He just didn't think it would get serious so fast. So, when he called her that morning, and Tristan answered her phone, Jake had been startled. Rory was not the type to move so fast, let alone fall so fast. That was when he knew that there was more to Tristan than the stories Rory told him. Jake just wished that Tristan was the guy for her because Rory deserved to be happy. Happier than Jake was able to make her.

"Shouldn't you be calling your mom for that, beautiful? In case you haven't noticed, I'm not a girl, and I have no need for dresses, so I don't really know much about them. Now, if you needed a new gorgeous suit... " He started but never got to finish the sentence because Rory was already talking.

"I have a date."

Jake started to smile. 'I'm not following you, hun." _This is going to be fun_.

"I have a date." Rory paused, trying to keep calm. "With Tristan. A real date."

"I'm still not following you. Didn't we already have this conversation? I'm pretty sure that I called your house a couple of days ago to ask you some questions about your old editor back in Stanford before going to work, and I had a really awkward conversation with Tristan when he answered your phone. I distinctly remember you telling me that you were sure it wasn't a date when you invited him over to your house." Jake teased.

"Now if that wasn't a _real date_, then I really don't want to find out what you do on a real date." He continued, teasing her mercilessly. "I feel cheated already. It took me forever to get you to go out with me..."

"Jake, I'm serious. Tristan and I talked, and we're together. For real together. He said he wants to take me on a real date. He even made reservations for crying out loud, and I don't know what to wear. Can you hold off on the teasing for now and help me!" Rory pleaded with him.

"I can't believe I finally get to see Rory Gilmore freak out over a boy. I thought your mom was kidding when she talked about it." Jake continued, finding it vastly amusing. "You didn't get this nervous when I asked you out, did you?"

"Jake! I'm begging you. I. Need. Help. I'm freaking out. Can you leave the teasing to another phone call, one where I'm not about to pass out because I can't seem to breathe?" Rory tried one last time, and this time Jake noticed how short of breath she was.

"Wow, sure, that's okay. I'm here, hun, it's all right. Right now, you're going to do me a favor, okay? You're going to find a bench, sit down, and calm yourself, okay? Are you sitting down?"

Rory looked around and spotted an open bench a few stores down. She walked over, "Okay, I'm sitting down."

"Okay beautiful. Now take a deep breath... That's right. Now let it out, real slow. One more time, in and out. In and out." Jake waited a moment.

"Are you still freaking out? " He asked.

"No. I think I'm okay. Thanks Jake. But I still have no idea what to buy, and I have less than two hours before the mall closes." She said. She was calmer, but she was sure he could still hear the nervousness in her voice.

"Well, let's think about it then. You said he made reservations. What kind of place? Upscale?" Jake started, all business now.

"No, I don't think so." Rory said, feeling better already. She leaned back against the bench. "He's different here, more laid back. I'm guessing a small place."

"Okay, well then you're going to look for a cute little dress. One with enough cleavage to make him drool all over you, but not something that will make you feel uncomfortable. Something in a dark blue. And a soft fabric."

"Why do I need a soft fabric?" Rory asked, not really getting what Jake was doing. She really was naive sometimes.

"Because it needs to be something soft to the touch. If he's a smart kind of guy, and we both know that he is, he's going to be all over you. That will make him want to _keep_ touching you." Jake smirked.

"You were right. I so should have called mom for advice." Rory said, and blushed just thinking about Tristan's hands all over her body. Starting at the hem of her dress, and slowly sneaking up her leg...

"Yeah, you should have but you didn't. You called me. Am I making you uncomfortable?" Jake smiled. He knew that they really were better suited as friends than as boyfriend and girlfriend. But he really, genuinely loved Rory, and making her uncomfortable over sex and dates was always fun, even when they were together. He was not going to stop now that they were only friends.

"Shut up, Jake." Rory snapped as she tried to get over her embarrassment. "I'm not going to think about... about _that_. So, dark blue dress, soft fabric..." Rory repeated.

"Enough cleavage, stopping right on the knees. Ooh, and some light blue lingerie. Lacy lingerie. And high heels." Jake finished, teasing her some more.

"Jake! I'm not discussing my choice of lingerie with you" Rory said in a warning tone.

"But you are going to buy new sexy, lacy, lingerie, right?" Jake continued, knowing that he was right, and knowing that any minute now Rory was going to hang up the phone. It was just too easy to tease her. He would have to tell Lorelai about the wardrobe freakout. And about the date. If there was something that he and Lorelai had in common was a knack for getting under Rory's skin. They both could spend the day teasing her about something.

"Bye Jake" Rory said, hanging up the phone. But he was right. She was going to buy new, sexy lingerie just for Tristan. And with a small smile she got up and went to the Victoria's Secret Store that was just around the corner. She knew exactly what she was going to buy.


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

She couldn't believe she was late. Rory really didn't like this side that North Carolina brought on her. It seemed that she was always late, always running to get to places on time. She was even late for her first day on the job, for God sakes. She, the girl who would always arrive early and over prepared. She didn't like this new side of herself at all. But her editor wanted to talk to her about her article, the one that was going to be in the paper on sunday. He wanted to discuss the format of her new column, and Rory was getting anxious.

She left the paper almost two hours later than she intended. She thought that she had time to take a quick shower, and get dressed before Tristan appeared in her doorstep, but that wasn't the case. He was so cute, sitting with his back to the door, dressed in dark jeans and a black shirt that her heart skipped a beat. _Oh my_, she thought. _I can't remember the last time I was this nervous about a date. And we've already slept together, I shouldn't be this nervous._

"Hi," he said, getting up.

"Hi!" she answered. "I'm so sorry I'm late. My editor wanted to see me, and I couldn't get away on time" Rory started. Man, she was rambling like an idiot. _What is it about Tristan that gets me flustered every time? _

"That's ok. I wasn't thinking that you would stand me up. Not yet anyway." He said with a smirk.

"Well. It's true. I wouldn't do it. I would have called you." She said. "Do you want to come in? I just need a couple of minutes to get ready"

"Sure. I'm sure I can find ways to amuse myself while waiting for you to get ready."

Twenty minutes later, Tristan almost dropped dead at the sight of her coming out of her room. She was the most strikingly beautiful woman he had ever seen, and she was wearing the most alluring outfit he had ever laid eyes on. It was a dark blue dress, that brought out the color of her eyes. It wasn't too short or too long, it had just the right amount of cleavage but it didn't show too much, just enough; and it hugged her entire body. And she was wearing heels that made her legs seem miles long. Her hair was falling in soft curls, and she was wearing barely any makeup. _Man, this is going to be a long night... _He thought.

Rory saw the desire in his eyes and smiled to herself. _I have to remember to thank Jake for his help_, she thought making a mental note. She couldn't help but think that Tristan was going to like this dress even more when they got back to the house, after dinner, and he would patiently work to get the dress off of her. Only to discover her new matching set of lingerie, that she bought just for him.

Tristan saw her eyes sparkling with mischief and took notice that he was going to have to get used to this new Rory Gilmore. He really needed a new nickname for her...

"So, are you going to tell me now where you're taking me? I don't want to be overdressed" She said, smoothing the skirt of her new dress.

"You're perfect." Tristan said, seriously. And the way the words rolled out of his mouth brought shiver down her spine. He wasn't talking about the dress. "Can you walk in those shoes?" He asked, playfully "Or do you want me to call a cab? The restaurant is just a short walk from here."

Rory looked at her feet and asked. "How short? I think I'm good to go if it's four or five blocks."

"Then you should be okay. But don't worry. I'm prepared to carry you, if needed. I was trained to help gorgeous girls in distress." He joked.

They held hands and started to walk down the street. It was a beautiful night. It was still warm, for the end of the summer, perfect for walking. The restaurant was only two block from her house, and it had that nice, warm, cozy atmosphere that only small places could offer. They were seated right away, and the hostess said that the waitress would be with them in a moment. It was a slow night.

"Hey, Captain DuGrey, good evening! It's been a while!" The young waitress greeted him warmly and continued. "Hey there, doll. I'm going to be your waitress for this evening. Here." she put the menus on the table. "I'll be back in a sec to take your orders. Would you like to drink something?"

"Hey Jules. How are you?" Tristan said with a smile. "Could you bring us a bottle of that wine that I like?"

"Sure thing, Captain. I'll be right back!" Jules said.

"Jules?" Rory said, raising an eyebrow. "Would you care to explain, Captain DuGrey?"

"Julie is Justin's little sister. I've know her since she was like ten years old, running around the house. She's almost eight years younger than Justin, and a surprise for his parents, who thought that they were done after Justin. She was a cute little brat when I met her."

"Oh," was all that Rory said. She looked at the girl, who was chatting away with the other waitresses while getting their wine glasses. "I can see the resemblance now." She said with a smile. "It's cute the way she calls you Captain DuGrey."

"Well" Tristan said, uncomfortable. "Justin says that she's had a big crush on me since I was sixteen. She used to follow us around everywhere. Then, when we came back from West Point as Lieutenants, she started addressing me like that. I'm kind of used to it by now."

"That must have been really cute, a sixteen year old with a crush on Lieutenant DuGrey" Rory said, enjoying his discomfort.

"Well. Justin didn't use to think so. He was afraid I was going to come home with a girlfriend one day and break his little sister's heart." He said, thinking that he might have just done that. "So. What are you in the mood for?" He asked, trying to change the subject.

"You," Rory said, with a smile. "And some pasta. Do you think they have a traditional pasta here?" She continued, toying with him.

Tristan smiled at her choice of words. He really needed to get used to this girl. "Sure. We are really big on tradition here in the south." He couldn't wait to get her back home, and have some traditional fun with her. If the past few days were any indication of what was to come, dating Rory Gilmore was going to be a hell of a ride.

Later that night, they were lying in Rory's bed, after a really exhausting round of hot, not so angry sex this time, legs tangled and all, when Rory said, playing with his hair. "That was fun. Best first real date ever."

"Why, thank you, Ma'am" Tristan said with a smirk. She could see that his eyes were still dark blue, a telling sign that he was still aroused."But it's far from over yet." He continued in a low voice, getting her on her back again and covering her with his body. "We didn't get to that round of really rough sex you seem to like so much yet." He told her, taking her arms prisoner over her head like he did that first time. He could feel her body humming with pleasure, and he was only starting. Rory squirmed under him, trying to free her arms from his strong hold. Tristan's smirk got bigger still. He held her in place with one hand, and his weight, while slowly lowering his other hand down her arm and over her body.

The only thing that Rory could think about, before he started kissing her all over, driving her insane, was that she was really glad that the military put such an effort in getting their soldiers in great shape. She only hoped she could keep up with Tristan's stamina.


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

They spent most of that saturday in bed, having fun, and getting to know each other. Tristan laughed when she said that the most she could do for breakfast was open some pop tarts, and make some coffee, and decided to get up to cook her something to eat. He opened her cabinets in the kitchen looking for the right ingredients for making plain pancakes, topping them with maple syrup. He made the coffee, arranged it in a tray he found over the fridge, and brought her breakfast in bed.

"So," Tristan started. "What are you going to do tomorrow?"

"Hum, let's see. Apart from reading my first article in my new column, I guess nothing!" Rory asked, sipping her coffee. "Damn. You make good coffee. I'm going to have to keep you around now that I know it!"

Tristan kissed her lightly, just because he could, and continued. "Great. So, Justin and Dylan are planning a barbecue to celebrate Ryan's final round of physical therapy. He was cleared from the doctors yesterday. He said he's not sure what he's going to do right now, maybe he'll stay around. At least until he can figure out what to do now that he's officially off duty. So the guys want to celebrate."

Rory was frozen to the spot. "You want me to meet your friends? All of them?" She asked.

"Well. Not all of them. Just the guys from my unit are going to be there." He said, a little nervous. This was new territory for him too."You already know Justin and Ryan. So that's only Aaron, Dylan and Kent that you'd meet."

The only girl Tristan introduced to his friends was Sara. And truthfully, he didn't really had to introduce her to all his friends. Justin and Dylan already knew her, because they all went to West Point together. But he wanted the guys to get to know Rory. They were going to love her, he was sure of it.

"Wow. Okay. If you're sure." Rory said, not really comfortable with the idea. But then, it would be nice to get to know some people around here. She hadn't made a lot of friends since she arrived.

At around mid-day Tristan had to go to the base to train, so he said goodbye to Rory and promised to pick her up around eleven the next day to go to the barbecue. Rory spent most of the time fretting about the whole ordeal. She picked up the phone to call her mother a dozen times, but decided not to do it. Exhausted, she decided to go to bed early and catch up on her reading. And try to get some rest.

Sunday morning was a really sunny day, perfect for an outdoor barbecue. She was ready to go by ten that morning, and decided to sit down on her porch with her book and a cup of coffee to wait for Tristan. He was very punctual, and they were on their way to Justin's house, in Raleigh, around eleven. Tristan could see that Rory was nervous about meeting his friends, but he didn't know what to say to her to calm her down. So, he just held her hand, and spent the drive talking about his friends, that way she could have a little background before meeting them.

They arrived early, as there was no traffic from Durham to Raleigh, and they were the first ones there. Rory was comfortable enough around Justin, so it was a good start. Ryan was the second one to arrive, being driven there by Dylan. Aaron and Kent arrived around one o'clock, having had to finish some duties back at base in the morning.

They were all standing around the barbecue grill, drinking beer and chatting. Rory was sitting at the table, helping Justin by passing him the hamburgers and vegetables that he was grilling. Ryan was sitting by her side, prepping the food, after hearing Tristan say that Rory didn't do so well in the kitchen. The other boys were scattered around them, forming a circle. Tristan watched Rory, sitting between Ryan and Justin, and smiled lightly.

"So, Rory, I saw your article in the paper this morning!" Justin started. He was pleasantly surprised when he read it at how carefully crafted and written the article was. But then, he didn't expect anything less from the reporter, judging by the other bylines he read after first meeting her.

"I gotta say, it was damn good. You really have a way with words, doll." He continued, smiling, and trying to put her at ease. He could feel that she was still a little bit nervous around all of them.

"Yeah, you should see the story she wrote on the paving of the new faculty parking lot, back at Chilton. Only she could turn it into something worth reading" Tristan said, looking into her eyes.

"How did you know about that? You weren't at Chilton anymore when I wrote that." Rory said, surprised.

"Wrote what?" Aaron asked, coming back from the kitchen with a round of beers for everybody, and taking his place beside Justin.

"Apparently, this lovely reporter here can turn an article about paving some sort of parking lot into reading material." Ryan said, smiling in Rory's direction. "So, Captain. How did you knew about the article, if you were already here in North Carolina?"

"I know that answer to that!" Justin said, turning to the group. "Some girl used to sent him _Mary's_ articles almost every month."

"Really? Who would go through enough trouble to do that?" Rory asked, intrigued, at the same time that Aaron and Kent asked "Who the hell is Mary?"

"Louise used to sent the papers. She thought it would piss Paris off if she did that, even though I don't think that Paris ever found out. But I was grateful. It was nice to have something from back home, even if it were school papers..." Tristan told Rory.

He turned to Aaron and Kent, and pointed to Rory, answering their question. "She's Mary".

"Isn't your name Rory?" Kent asked, bewildered.

"Yep." Rory asked, and looked pointedly at Tristan, even though she kind of liked the nickname nowadays. "But you Captain here apparently couldn't remember my name long enough. He kept calling me Mary."

"Na. I remembered your name just fine. It was just fun to tease you and give you a nickname." He smirked.

"I don't follow..." Kent said, and turned to Justin, thinking that he would get a better explanation from him than from those two. He traded places with Justin, to relieve his friend from barbecue duty for a while, and turned slightly to hear Justin tell them about the whole "Mary" thing.

"Well, from what I could gather, he" he pointed his finger to Tristan "liked her" he moved it into Rory's direction, "back in school, but she wouldn't give him the time of day. So he" he was back to Tristan "resorted to tease and annoy her" he pointed to Rory again "by calling her Mary. Did I get it right, doll?" He asked Rory, who just nodded, smiling slightly. He did get it right.

"But why Mary, DuGrey?" Aaron asked this time, amused.

"It was supposed to be like the Virgin Mary. It meant he thought I looked like a goody-goody back in high school..." Rory answered for him.

"Wow. Biblical insults. What an advanced school..." Dylan said, sarcastically, nudging Tristan with his elbow, in a friendly way.

"Hey, that's what I said!" Rory answered smiling.

"Wow, Captain. You really were an idiot in high school" Ryan joined the teasing. It wasn't everyday that he get to bait Tristan like that...

"Well, in my defense, she really did look like a goody-goody in high school..." Tristan said, smirking.

Rory noted that Ryan was the only one who addressed Tristan as Captain. She knew by now that Justin and Tristan went to West Point together, after Oak Ridge, and that Dylan graduated from West Point too, but a few years later. Ryan was the baby of the group, having graduated from Military School and gone straight to the army. He was also the one with the lowest patent.

Aaron and Kent were both from Georgia, and were a few years younger than Justin and Tristan, but older than Ryan. Both Dylan and Justin were Second Lieutenants, and Aaron and Kent were Sergeant Majors. Tristan was their Commanding Officer. But they all seemed like they were friends for a long time, and Rory guessed that serving together was one of the reasons they were so close.

By the end of the day, Rory had all the guys all figured out, and she thought that Tristan was really lucky to have such nice friends. And the guys were all thinking the same thing: That their captain was the real lucky guy. They all loved her.


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

Monday morning came too soon for Rory. Before she knew it, Tristan was getting ready to go. He needed to be at the base early, and Rory had to be at the paper at around nine. As he kissed her lightly, and she marveled at the feeling that this was a very nice routine. She was really happy. She thought about the last time she felt this happy and couldn't really remember. Maybe it was when she and Logan were living together after he came back from London. _Wow._ She stopped herself immediately. _Are you out of your mind? We're not nowhere near living together. I shouldn't even be thinking about it. We've been together for what, a week? And we didn't even sleep together all week... Rory_ sighed. _Great, now I'm also lying to myself. Great. Just great._

Rory decided to stop thinking about it and just go to work before she freaked out. She stopped at the little bakery for another cup of coffee and a bagel to go, and sat outside the Herald-Sun building to finish her breakfast. She looked at her watch, saw that it was almost nine, and got up to go to work. When she walked in, she received a lot of nods, and some congratulations on her first piece. She was glad that her article was well received.

She opened her email, and saw that she got some very good reviews there also. Including the ones from her family. She still wasn't used to the fact that both her grandparents would take the time to review her articles, but she was glad that they did. As Rory sat there, and that familiar feeling of happiness washed over her, she realized that it was all about Tristan. Rory wasn't ready to process what this feeling meant yet, so she just pushed the feeling aside one more time.

She opened another email and groaned. Her editor wanted to talk with her again. After their meeting Friday afternoon, she thought that things were going great and that she would have a little bit more freedom with her writing. But it looks like her editor was fond of these little meetings. She looked at the clock and saw that she still had a few minutes and decided to send a few emails before heading to the meeting.

Rory knocked on her editor's door. "Hey, Phil, you wanted to see me?"

"Sure, Miss Gilmore, come in." Her editor said. "I just wanted to talk to you about your next assignment."

"Yes, sure!" Rory said, sitting down and taking out her notepad and pen. "Shoot!"

"We had such a great response to your article that we decided to make it a series. I think a good follow-up would be to talk about the Special Forces Rescue Team, here at the National Guard's base. They are responsible for most of the rescue missions of hostages overseas. We have a contact named Brian Turner. I don't have a lot of information about him, but its nothing that you can't work with. We know that he is part of the rescue team's intelligence unit." He continued, giving Rory a card with Turner's information.

"Oh. Okay. So, I'm to go back to the base for my next interview?" Rory asked. It seemed that she wasn't going to be able to avoid thinking about Tristan today.

"I would think so, but give him a call. He might prefer to meet elsewhere, since I'm not sure if it's public knowledge that he's our liaison. You know how it is, they always worry about how much to tell the public about their war programs..." He finished, dismissing Rory.

"Okay Boss. I'll get right on it." Rory smiled.

She sat at her computer the rest of the day, researching and taking notes. She found some old articles about some of the rescue missions that the team went on successfully, and was not at all surprised when she recognized some of the names. It looked like some of Tristan's and Justin's first missions were related to this particular rescue team. Was their unit part of the Special Forces? She didn't know for sure. She clipped a couple of articles to read later, about a mission gone sour a couple of yeas ago, when a Lieutenant was almost killed in the line of duty. She had a feeling that she knew exactly who the Lieutenant was that was shot trying to protect a fellow soldier. She made some more notes, things she could ask Tristan later that maybe could help with her article.

Finally at about six she had had enough. She turned off her computer, made a note to call Brian Turner in the morning to confirm their meeting and gathered her things to go home. When she left the building, she saw Tristan waiting for her. She instantly felt that rush of feelings that she tried so hard to hide from all day. She took a deep breath, tried to bury those feelings deep down and smiled.

But she wasn't fast enough. Tristan had been looking closely, so he didn't miss the change of emotions visible in her eyes: first, the bubble of happiness, along with the surprise of seeing him sitting outside the building, and then the worry. He frowned a little bit, and was about to ask her what was wrong when she started towards him, and placed a sweet kiss on his lips. He brought her closer to him, and kissed her hungrily.

"Hi!" She said brightly, between kisses.

"Hey!" he answered, forgetting all about the change of emotions he had just seen. "Are you all done for the day, babe?"

"Yes! I was just about to go home. What about you?" She said, taking his hand in hers, and starting to walk towards her house.

"I'm done for the day, too. Wanna fool around?" He asked, teasingly, and when he saw her blushing added "I can't believe you're still blushing like that, after the things you did to me this weekend, Mary."

"Well, I can't help it. I get hot just by looking at you..." she told him in that low, husky tone that she knew drove him mad.

Tristan groaned and used the hand he was holding to pull her into him, and kissed her again. Not minding at all that they were in the middle of the street. "If you keep that up, I'm not going to make it to your house." he said darkly.

Rory saw the lust in his eyes, and just said: "Let's go, then." And started walking, pulling him along. She smirked when she heard his typical 'yes, ma'am' response. Life was good.

Later, when they were lying in bed, almost drifting to sleep, Rory remembered her new assignment, and her research. Her curiosity got the better of her. "Tristan. Are you asleep?" she asked.

"Almost. Why?" She could hear in his voice that he was tired. She bit her lip, thinking it might be better to leave the questions for tomorrow morning. "What is it, babe?" Tristan asked, more alert. He saw her biting her lip, a telltale sign that she was nervous about something, and started to sit up.

"Is your unit part of the Rescue Team, from the Special Forces Operations?" She blurted out. "You know, the one specialized in rescuing civilian hostages?" She continued. She felt Tristan stiffing up beside her, but couldn't stop herself. "Is it why you got promoted to captain, because of one of those rescue missions?"

"Rory. It's late. You're sure you want to do that now?" He answered, not really wanting to talk about it.

"It's just... I've got this new assignment, and I was doing some research. And, well, your name kind of came up, you know, a couple of times." She said, nervously. She could feel him getting tense, and prepared for the worst. It was never a good sign when Tristan got this worked up about something.

"What kind of assignment?" he asked.

"I'm supposed to write about the Special Forces Team responsible for the rescue of war hostages." She mumbled.

"Damn it." Tristan said. Before she could stop him, he got up and started getting dressed. "And my name just came up?" he demanded.

"Well. Yes. Kind of. I was reading old pieces about the rescuing of hostages in Afghanistan." She tried to proceed carefully. "I came across one article about one UNAMA mission." She knew he didn't like to talk about this part of his work. "I'm waiting for some confirmations still, but-"

"Who's your contact?" He asked, getting angry.

"Tristan. You know I can't tell you that. Not before talking to him."

"Who's. Your. Contact?" He demanded again, his voice as cold as ice. Something was not right. When she said nothing, he continued: "You're not doing this story." And with that, he just walked out, slamming the door on his way out.


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Rory tried calling Tristan a dozen times, but he was not answering his phone. After fretting for about two hours, she decided to just go to sleep and try again in the morning. And if he didn't want to talk to her then, she would try Justin. Maybe he would be able to explain to her what the hell happened.

She slept badly, waking up thousands of times, and when it was almost five, she gave up and decided to get up and start the day. It's not like she didn't have a lot of things to do anyway. She tried calling Tristan again, a couple of times, but it looked like he wasn't taking her calls just yet.

She went into the kitchen, but she was not in the mood for breakfast. So she just made some coffee and got going. She arrived early at the paper, and saw the note she made to herself to call Brian Turner and started to get mad. _Who does he think he is to tell me what I can or can't do. I'm not one of his soldiers... _She thought. She took the note, and dialed the number on it, not really caring that it wasn't even six in the morning yet. After a couple of rings, when no one answered, she left a voicemail and tossed the phone away angrily.

She just sat there, staring at her computer screen, not really doing anything. A little later, at 6:30, her boss came in, and all hell broke loose.

"What the hell were you thinking, telling a Captain from the Special Forces that we had a contact outside their Public Affair Office?" He asked her, or better, screamed at her. "Are you out of your mind?" He said.

Rory just sat there, dumbfounded. "I didn't" she tried. But then, it dawned on her what had happened. "Oh, fuck."

"Oh, fuck? All you have to say for yourself is 'oh fuck'?" her boss continued, scolding her.

"Phil. I'm so sorry. I didn't know. I was just doing some research, and I recognized a name, from an old friend who's in the military, someone who I reconnected with when I arrived here. I didn't know he was part the rescue team when I told him what my next assignment was, and I swear I didn't say that I had an informant." She tried to explain.

"Well, now you know. Because I got a call at four in the morning, from Lieutenant Colonel Custer, ordering us to drop this story." He started to calm down. "So, if we don't want to cause a major riff with them, I suggest that you cancel your meeting."

"I'm sorry Phil. I really am." She said.

"Well, good. Take the day off, while I do some damage control. Maybe by tomorrow I will be able to come up with a new assignment for you." Phil said, dismissing her.

Rory was fuming by the time that she reached Tristan's home. He was still not taking her calls, and she was pretty pissed by now. She didn't even knock, she just opened the door, knowing that he rarely locked it, and entered.

"Who do you think you are, to go over my head to my boss, and make me drop a story?" She asked him, angrily, not caring at all that he was still in bed, probably sleeping.

"Are you out of your mind?" he retorted, just as angry. "You were the one who wouldn't tell me who your contact was. Do you have any idea the mess you were going to put yourself in?"

"Don't change the subject" she told him.

"I'm not!" Tristan yelled, and got out of bed, not caring that he was not wearing anything. "You have no idea what you were about to do. You were going to interview Turner, weren't you?"

"I..." Rory started, but didn't go on. "How did you know that?"

"Because we've been working on designing a trap to get him for months. We're trying to prove he's working undercover for some time. We know that he's been passing classified information about our hostage operations, and we have already lost three men because of him. He's a mole, Rory."

"I... Oh my God..." Rory said, sitting down on his bed. "I had no idea."

"I know." He said, calming down. He sat next to her and sighed. "You know I can't tell you these things, not without getting both of us in trouble. But when I tell you not to get involved in something, you have to listen to me. You and your editor could have compromised an entire mission, going after this story. And the Colonel is not happy that I am telling you this."

"I... I'm sorry." She said. "But you should have told me. You went directly to my editor, and I got to tell you, he was not happy with me. I didn't need to get yelled at because of that."

"I'm sorry you got yelled at. But I couldn't let you meet this guy." Tristan said.

"_You_ yelled at me." She told him. "And then you didn't take my calls." She continued.

"I left your house and went straight to the base. I had to report it right away." He said. "We couldn't let it happened. I was up most of the night, talking to my superiors."

"Yeah, I heard something about Lieutenant Colonel calling Phil at four in the morning." Rory said weakly. "He was not really happy about that either. "

"Would you?" Tristan tried to joke. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. " He tried to take her hand, but Rory evaded him.

"I think I'll just go home." Rory said, getting up.

"Hey," Tristan grabbed her arm, before she could try to stop him. "Are we ok?"

Rory looked at him, saw the concern in his eyes, and said, trying to smile, and reassure him. "Yeah. We are." _I just need to sort through some things, you know, in my head. S_he though, but didn't have the guts to tell him that.

"Okay then." He said, but didn't let go.

"You should sleep. And I should go." She said.

Tristan dropped her arm. "Okay". And then she was gone.

_Damn. _He thought._ How the hell did she get involved in this story? _

Tristan didn't know what to do next. How was he supposed to tell her that the man she was going to meet was the target of his current mission? That he was not only a mole, trading classified information, but had also received orders to take down the Special Forces' head of intelligence. Or that the trap they were designing was to take him down, not to apprehend him.


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Tristan knew that, even though he had hardly slept last night, he wouldn't be able to sleep now. So, after Rory left, he got up, and decided to return to the base. Surely he would be able to find something to do. He showered quickly and was on his way in less than ten minutes. He thought about calling Rory, but he knew that she needed some time to cool down. After all, he did went over her had. He had to. The mere idea that she could be in danger was inadmissible for him.

He was so lost in thought that he didn't even see his men when he entered the base. He just walked past them. Justin and Ryan looked at each other, wondering what could have happened, but neither said anything. Dylan made a move like he was going to say something, but Justin stopped him, putting his hand on Dylan's arm and shaking his head. That was not the time to try and get something out of Tristan.

After a few minutes, Lt Colonel Custer walked up to them, with a dark look on his face, and motioned to Tristan and Justin to follow him. The men knew instantly what this meeting was about, as they were waiting for this mission for some time now. They entered the Colonel's office and sat down.

"Good morning Cpt DuGrey, Lt Meyer. I have a mission for you, gentlemen. It seems we're finally setting that trap. Tomorrow. I hope that, after it's over, you two can talk to the Herald-Sun about that article on the Special Forces Rescue Team. We don't need a major PR problem." Custer started.

When Tristan heard about the damn article he had to stop himself from closing his eyes and groaning. It seems like he was not going to be able to avoid thinking about Rory.

"Cpt DuGrey, you're overseeing this operation. Lt. Meyer, you'll be the one taking him down, as usual. You have your orders, gentlemen. See to it." He finished, not wanting to prolong this meeting.

"Yes, Sir." The two of them answered, as expected, and got up, waiting for the Colonel to open the door.

"Have you slept at all, Cpt DuGrey?" Custer asked, his hand still on the handle of the closed door.

"No, Sir." Tristan answered, not wanting to lie to his superior.

"Well, then, go home. Get some rest." he order.

"Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir."

Tristan was about to turn towards the door when Justin decided to seize the opportunity.

"Do you have a moment, Captain? I'd like to speak with you, sir." He said, looking his friend right in the eyes. If he did it now, Tristan would have the obligation to hear him out. And he knew it.

_Damn. Busted. _Tristan thought. "Sure, Lt. Follow me. Excuse us, Sir" Tristan said, and exited the room, with Justin right behind him. When they were out of earshot, Justin opened his mouth to say something but was cut off by Tristan.

"Save it, Meyer. I'm not in the mood." He said, without braking his stride. He knew damn well what Justin wanted to talk about and he was having none of it. He was ordered to go home and rest, and he would do just that.

"Wait up. Dammit DuGrey." Justin said, following him out the door, and into the parking lot. "Are we going to do that every time? Weren't you not in the mood to talk, say, last week? Are you _ever_ in the mood to talk?"

When Tristan didn't replied, Justin sighed and continued following him. He was not about to give up yet. "If you haven't slept, you shouldn't be driving."

Tristan stopped, took a deep breath in order to remain calm, and tossed his keys to Justin. "Okay then. You drive. Silently."

Justin grinned, and refused to answer. He got into the car, started driving and asked him: "So, now are you going to tell me what the hell is going on with you? I know it's not just this mission. You were way pissed even before that meeting"

Tristan just glared at him. "No."

"Okay then. Look, we can do this the easy way, or the hard way, because you damn well know I'm not going to drop it. You've known me for what, fifteen years?"

"Feels more..." Tristan mumbled.

"Yeah, well, how many times have you seen me drop a subject?" Justin asked him. "So, I'm not going to start now, am I? Just talk to me, Tristan."

"I have nothing to say, Justin. I'm tired, I was up most of the night, going over this mission with Custer. I'm going home now, and I'm going to sleep for a few hours, and you are going to leave me the hell alone."

"Okay." Justin said. "The hard way, it is. Let's see. Let's pretend that it's just this mission you're worried about, for now." He started. He looked at the best friend and asked. "Is it because we have to shoot someone here, at home?"

When Tristan remained silent, he continued. "Okay, that's a no. Is it because Lt Colonel Custer told us he wants to do that article, about our rescue missions?" He tried, and when Tristan slightly groaned, Justin smiled.

"That's a yes. We're getting somewhere now. Is it because Rory's going to be the one writing it?" When he saw Tristan pinching the bridge of his nose, he thought to himself _bingo! _

"So, it is about Rory. Of course. I should have seen that." Justin continued.

"You're really not going to drop it, are you?" Tristan pleaded with his friend.

"No, I'm really not. You could just tell me, you know. And prevent the whole twenty questions' game. Because I'm just starting."

"Fine. All right." Tristan gave up. "Rory's editor gave her a new assignment yesterday. He wanted to make a follow up to Ryan's article, because it was so well received. She was supposed to write about the Special Forces Rescue Team."

Justin cursed, but kept silent. "Hey, I told you I didn't want to talk about it." Tristan said.

"How much does she know?" Justin asked.

"Right now? I'd say almost everything. She found a couple of old articles on the subject"

"Well... What doesn't she know then?" Justin asked.

"She doesn't know why I got promoted to Captain, or why I asked for you to be on my team, when it happened." _Nor that I almost died on that mission... _he thought. "And, more important, she doesn't know that our next mission is to take Turner down. But if you take the next exit, and then turn left at Main St, you can help me tell her."

Justin was silent for a minute, then asked. "Was she going to interview Turner for her assignment?"

"Yes." Tristan said.

"You told her not to do the interview?" He asked, already figuring it out.

"Yes."

"But didn't tell her why?"

"No. Not at the moment anyway. I got up, got dressed, and went after Custer to report it. We spent the night designing this trap." Tristan said

"Let me guess. You told her this morning? Before coming in?" Justin guessed.

"After her editor yelled at her, yes. She dropped by."

"Man, you can't take a break." Justin finished.


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Rory left Tristan's house in a hurry, but she didn't want to go home just yet. She wasn't really mad at him, to say the truth, but she couldn't shake that bad feeling in the pit of her stomach either. He should have told her. Okay, she knew that he couldn't have told her right away, not before reporting it. She knew that, if he did, he could get in trouble. She couldn't believe that she was almost caught in the middle of a classified mission.

She got into her car, and started driving. _Damn it. _She thought, while hitting the steering wheel with her hated being yelled at. Especially for something she had no power over. She thought about her research, and the things she read about Tristan and his unit. She was slowly starting to put the pieces together.

She knew that his unit was part of the Special Forces Rescue Team. A team

specialized in rescuing civilian hostages from the war, mostly in Afghanistan. She knew that it was because of his actions in one of this missions that he was awarded the title of Captain, and was given the choice of creating and heading his own unit, and that he requested Justin to be on his team. She also figured out that Tristan was the lieutenant who was shot in the chest trying to protect a fellow soldier, probably Justin. But there were still some missing pieces on this puzzle. She wasn't sure about what exactly happened, but she'd figure it out someday.

She knew there was something wrong when she told him about the article. She should have told him who her contact was, but she didn't want to give up. She wasn't always going to give up her sources. She was a reporter, damn it. It was part of her job. She sighed.

_Did I blew it?_ She thought. _I shouldn't have left. He wanted to talk to me, he said he was sorry, and I didn't even acknowledge it._

Deep down, Rory knew what her real problem was. She was falling in love with him, and that scared her. He scared her, the way he made her feel, the way he made her lose control. She didn't think she was ready for that. And, more important, she wasn't sure if he was there yet. That's why she left. Because she was afraid of having that conversation. She knew that he wasn't just mad because of this mess with her assignment. He got mad because he was worried about it, about her. And maybe, the truth was that she was scared for the same reasons...

She thought about going back to his place, but when she finally decided to do it, she saw that his car was not there. _He must have gone back to the base. _She thought. She decided to go home, and maybe get some rest, she hadn't slept much anyway. But as soon as she got home, she was restless. She decided to do some laundry, and clean the house, in order to clear her mind.

A couple of hours later, she heard a car stopping in front of her house. Her heart jumped in her chest as she thought that it might be Tristan. She counted to ten, trying to calm down a little, and when she didn't hear the doorbell ring, she decided to pick through the window. She saw Tristan and Justin talking in the car, and frowned. She walked up to them and motioned for Tristan to open the window.

"What are you doing here? I thought that you were going to take the day off, and try to sleep." Rory asked Tristan, sending a smile in Justin's direction in lieu of an actual greeting.

Tristan looked at her, and then at Justin, and said: "We need to talk."

Rory pondered for a minute and said. "Well, I think I'm in the mood for some coffee. I didn't have anything to eat in the morning, and it's almost lunch time."

"Well, then. It's settled. Hop in, doll" Justin said. "I know just the place."

Rory nodded and got in the car. "Why is Justin driving your car?" She asked Tristan

"Well... He was ordered to go home, and get some sleep. But I didn't think that he should be driving when he is sleep deprived and sulking. And let's say, for a Captain, sometimes he just sucks at following orders." Justin said, before Tristan could open his mouth.

"Sulking?" Rory asked.

"Yeah. You know, the way he gets when you two love birds get into a fight." Justin teased, and tried to take a look at Rory's face through the rearview mirror. He was sure she was blushing.

"So, you know what would be really nice?" Justin asked, trying to lighten the mood, and bait his friend all at the same time. "If you two would kiss and make up already, before we start talking about Turner, and the Rescue Team."

Tristan groaned, but Rory laughed at Justin's tone. And just like that, the mood in the car was lifted. By the time they arrived at the coffee shop, things were back to normal. Tristan opened Rory's door for her, and took her hand to help her out. When he didn't immediately released it, Justin decided to give them a moment, and silently walked into the coffee shop.

"Hey." Tristan said, sneaking his arms around her, and pulling her close. "I'm sorry about last night. And this morning." He told her sincerely. "I should have explained things instead of getting angry and storming off."

Rory kissed him, chastely, and said. "I'm sorry too. I should have listened to you, and told you who was my contact. I know you had your reasons."

"It wasn't just about compromising the mission. I was worried about you." He said. _I love you._ He thought. But decided that this wasn't the best moment to tell her that. It was too soon. And he had no idea if she felt the same way. _Liar..._ He scolded himself in his mind._ You know, deep down inside, that she loves you too. She wouldn't be with you if she didn't. She's not that type. _

"I know." She smiled. "I think we'd better come in. Justin's waiting for us"

"He can wait" Tristan said, and kissed her again. This time, it was not a chaste kiss. Tristan kissed her hungrily, and Rory was just as hungrily kissing him back. After a few minutes, they had to break the kiss, because breathing was becoming an issue. They smiled at each other, and entered the coffee shop holding hands.

"All better now?" Justin asked, smirking at them. "Good. Hands were I can see them, you two. This is a serious conversation. No more making-out like teenagers..."

* * *

**A/N - Wow. My first author's note. Well, I just wanted to say that I know I should be writing the next chapter for "An Alternate Ending" and not posting this one. But the thing is... this one was already written. And sadly, all my free time disappeared. It's good news, because I don't have any free time due to my new job. And, after this week, I sure needed a pick-me-up. So, here it is. Enjoy. And I promise that as soon as I have the time, I'll finish "An alternate ending" too. Don't worry! :)**


	18. Chapter 18

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

Rory woke up earlier than usual that Wednesday and looked at the vacant spot next to her. She knew that Tristan had an assignment this morning, but that didn't stop her from missing him. They had been up until almost two in the morning talking, and she insisted that Tristan stay over, but he said that he had to report really early for his assignment, to brief his team. Deep down, she knew that this mission was still a sore spot between them, but she hoped that they were okay now.

She still couldn't believe that Tristan went to her editor but in the end, after hearing about the mission, she was glad that he did. She just wished that this would be over and done with soon. He didn't talk much about it, and she was glad he didn't. That side of Tristan's life, the soldier side, was still something she was struggling with. She knew that he didn't have an easy life on duty, and she hoped that she would never have to receive a call like the ones she had heard about: the 'I'm sorry to be the one to tell you, but your loved one was injured in the line of duty' call.

Rory knew that she wouldn't be able to go back to sleep now, so she decided to get up and just go to work. She might as well have an early day. She showered and got ready, still trying to take her mind off of her boyfriend. He promised that either he or Justin would call her as soon as they were done with the assignment, to let her know that it went according to the plan. So she kept her phone close to her and started working.

On the other side of Durham, Tristan and his men were getting in position. The trap was set, and they were going to get Turner this time, he was sure of it: he and his team would stop the man who had compromised more than one rescue mission. It should be easy enough. It was early in the morning and the streets were still deserted. Dylan spotted their target, sitting outside an empty coffee shop as usual, and gave the directions to Justin. Tristan was overseeing the whole operation, but Justin was the appointed sniper. They had done this kind of operation thousands of times overseas, but that was the first time they would have shoot someone here, so close to home.

Turner closed the newspaper he was reading, looked at his watch and started to get up. Tristan told Justin to take aim, and to wait for his signal. He saw Justin position himself just as he saw the girl starting down the street, walking fast. She couldn't be older than sixteen years old and, judging by the clothes she was wearing, she was probably walking back home after a party.

The girl was going to unknowingly step in the middle of Justin's line of fire in exactly two seconds. Tristan couldn't call off the whole operation, because Turner would go off the grid after today and they would lose him. They knew that he had already secured a flight to Indonesia that left that evening. Tristan had a split second to make a decision and he knew what he had to do. He just hoped that Justin didn't miss.

He listened as Justin pulled the safety off of his rifle, waiting for the okay to shoot. Tristan started running. He motioned with his head to Dylan, to stay put, and he kept going, telling himself that he knew what he was doing. When he was close enough, he gave Justin the signal to fire, by tapping at his headphone, then he jumped and tackled the girl to the ground. He closed his eyes as he felt the sting on his right arm, and knew that Justin's bullet has grazed him a few centimeters from his shoulder.

As he held the girl down, he looked up and saw Turner on the floor with one clean shot to the chest. _Damn. Justin is good! _He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself and the girl he just saved. He looked at Justin and saw his best friend drop the rifle to the floor with a look of total disbelief in his face.

He sighed, got up, and helped the girl to her feet. Godd_amn it, it fucking stings,_ he thought, looking at his right arm. _I should be used to it by now. After all this is not the first time I got shot._ He looked at Justin again, who was now walking towards them.

"I really don't care that you're my Captain right now, you son of a bitch. You gave me the order to shoot and then stepped into my line of fire. I could have killed you." Justin said in a low voice, seething with anger. His hands were clenched at his side as he fought to control his anger.

"But you didn't." Tristan said coldly. "I knew what I was doing, Lieutenant Meyer. Get yourself together." He knew that, for Justin's sake, he had to act the part of his Captain now. Later, when they were alone, he would let his best friend scold him, and even pummel him for his choice. But right now, he was the Captain, and he had to act like it.

Justin's eyes got darker after hearing his best friend address him as Lieutenant. He shook his head, and was about to disagree but Tristan just continued issuing orders. "Gather the rest of the men, take the girl and call in for medical help. She needs to be checked out. I don't think that I'll need stitches, but I need to have my right arm looked at, too." When Justin didn't move, he repeated the order, slowly, leaving no room for arguments. "Take the girl, Lieutenant."

"Yes, Sir. Right away, Sir". Justin said coldly, before turning around and taking the girl with him. He didn't even try to hide the fact that he was more than pissed with his best friend, Captain or not. But it looked like as if he would have to wait to yell at him. He passed Dylan and left the girl with him, then he went to gather the rest of the men and call for the army doctors, as instructed. He looked up and saw Ryan looking at him, silently asking if he was all right.

Ryan had seen the everything. Even though he was off duty, he stationed himself right behind Justin, thinking that if something went wrong, he would be there to offer some help. He understood DuGrey's actions better than Justin, but he also recognized the look in Justin eyes. He knew what Justin was thinking, and what was worrying him. He had just taken someone's life, which was hard enough, but he had also grazed his best friend with the bullet in the process.

Justin just looked him in the eyes, letting him know that he was all right, pissed as hell, but all right. Ryan just motioned for him to sit down, without saying anything. They sat side by side in silence for a few minutes, then Justin sighed and tossed his phone to him.

"Call Rory, will you?" He said. "I don't think I have the stomach to tell her that I just shot my best friend on the shoulder." He continued, after a second, when he noticed that Ryan was waiting for the explanation. "Tristan promised he'd call after the mission was over."

Ryan took a deep breath and dialed Rory's phone number, while watching Justin leave without a word to Tristan or the rest of the team.

"Hey Justin. Is it over yet? Is everything okay?" Rory said on the phone, trying not to sound too worried. She was waiting for this call, and hoping that Tristan would be the one calling, so she would know right away that he was okay.

"Hey Rory. It's Ryan." He started. When she didn't answer, he continued. "Can you get away from the paper right now?" Before he could continue, he heard Rory's sharp intake of breath. He cursed himself for being the one having to do that, and proceeded to tell her what had happened this morning, making sure to stress that Tristan was all right.

In fifteen minutes, Rory was running past them to get to Tristan, not caring at all that she was about to make a scene, with all his men looking at her. He was being checked out by the doctors now. She knew that it was a flesh wound, nothing more, and that he was not in danger. She could see the doctor finishing patching him up, and putting his arm in an arm sling. He was safe, as was the girl he saved from the bullet. She must have told herself that at least a thousand times, but she still couldn't get her heartbeat to slow down. She knew that she was running on pure adrenaline and that it would take some time for her body to calm down. She kept reliving the conversation in her head, over and over again.

When Ryan told her, in vivid detail, what had happened, and how Tristan had saved the girl, in vivid detail, she could almost see the gun being slowly raised, Tristan starting to run, and him tackling the girl to the floor while Justin took aim and pulled the trigger. She kept telling herself that Tristan knew what he was doing, that it was part of his job, and that he was okay, it was only a flesh wound, but she couldn't get past the fact that he could have been killed.

She took a deep breath, but that did nothing to calm her, and she waited for the doctor to finish talking to him before she approached them. When Tristan looked at her with a weak smile on his face, and motioned her over, she walked up to him and without missing a beat she hugged him , for about a second before she started slapping him over and over, on his good arm of course.

"Were you out of your mind?" Slap. "You knew he was going to pull the trigger, and you just stepped in the middle of it." Another slap. "You should have told your men to wait, or just called it off." Another slap, but this time, he grabbed her hand. He wanted to say something, but he was still reeling from her reaction and he had no idea what to say to calm her down. He was about to pull her into his arms, but she was not done with her ranting yet.

"You could have died, you jerk." She finished, trying to free her hand, and looked at him with tears in her eyes.

Tristan looked at her for a moment, as if finally realizing something. "I love you too." He said, and then pulled her to him with his good arm to kiss her.


	19. Chapter 19

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

It took Rory half a second to understand what Tristan had just said, but Tristan

could tell the exact moment that it happened. He felt her stiffen and try to break the kiss, and he just held her tighter. He mustered the most serious that she had ever seen on his face and said it again: "I love you, too."

He was practically daring her to say it. But she couldn't do it. It was too soon. She just shook her head, her eyes still full tears, and tried to get away.

Tristan sighed, and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, closing his eyes for a second. Damn, he thought. I shouldn't have said it now. I should have waited until we were alone, in bed, and she couldn't run away or hide.

"Hey. Look at me, Rory. I'm here, I'm okay. See? But I still have some things to finish. I've got to go back to the base, and tell my superiors my account of today's mission. So, here's what you're going to do: you're going to take my keys, go to my place, and wait for me there. I'll meet you there as soon as I can. Okay? Can you do that?" He asked her, loosening his hold on her, without releasing her.

"Okay." Rory said. She took his keys, turned around without another word, and started walking. Tristan then looked at Justin. He was about to ask him to go after Rory because he didn't want her to be alone right now, but he knew that she'd just get more worked up. Justin just shook his head and walked the other way, before Tristan even asked. He sighed, and was starting to go after Justin when Ryan stood up and walked towards him:

"Hey, Captain, give the guy a break. Let him cool off a little bit. You know him." Ryan said. He was trying to give Justin enough time to cool down. "What do you want me to do? Do you want me to go after Rory?"

Tristan was still watching Justin walk away, and thinking about what the hell he was supposed to do now. He was barely looking at Ryan when he said: "Yeah, I do. Ryan, I told her to go to my place and wait for me there. But somehow I have the feeling that she's not very good at following orders, you know?"

"Oh. Okay then. I'll make sure she waits for you at your place then, Captain. Don't worry!" Ryan said, and went after Rory. He still couldn't run, but he was better at walking at a fast clip right now, and he soon catch up with her."

"Hey, Rory, wait up!" He said. "Why don't you let me call you a cab, and wait with you at Tristan's place. I could use some company." He lied, hoping that she would believe him.

Yeah, sure! Rory thought. But, even though she knew that the soldier was lying through his teeth, she agreed, and let him call her a cab. The last thing she wanted right now was to stay at Tristan's place, but it looked like she didn't have any other option.

Tristan stood there for a minute, and watched Ryan talk to Rory and then put her in a cab, it was only then that he relaxed. He knew that she was okay, and that Ryan was going to look after her, so he decided to go after Justin and get it over with. It looked like this day was far from over.

When he arrived at the base, Justin was still recounting what happened to Lieutenant Colonel Custer, so Tristan seized the opportunity and walked inside the room. He just stood there, behind Justin, waiting for him to finish. When Justin did, and started to get up, Tristan put his hand on Justin's shoulder, silently telling him to stay put. He could feel his best friend stiffen, but didn't really care. "May I have the office for a moment, Lieutenant Colonel, Sir? I wanted to talk to Lieutenant Meyer too."

Custer just looked from one soldier to the other, quickly picking up on the mood, and decided that he would not interfere. "How's your arm, Captain DuGrey?" He asked, not aware that the question was only making the silent war going on between the two friends worse.

"It' fine, Lieutenant Colonel. Just a flesh wound, nothing serious." He answered, talking more to Justin than to his superior. "Thank you for asking, Sir."

"Okay. Well. Good job, Captain." Custer said. "I'll leave you two alone." And then he left.

Tristan waited a moment, and after the door was closed, he opened his mouth to say something, but Justin beat him to it.

"Don't." He said, in a voice still seething with anger. "Just... Don't."

Tristan wasn't deterred, though. "Would you just listen to me for a second, Justin." He said. He was not begging, though. He just wanted Justin to listen to him, to his reasons.

"No. Just leave me the hell alone, DuGrey." Justin said.

"Has that ever worked for you, when I was the one that didn't want to talk about something?" Tristan asked. When Justin didn't respond, he continued. "So, why do you think that it would be any different, now?"

"Go to hell..." Justin said, and got up to leave. He barely made it to the door, before Tristan stepped in front of him, effectively blocking him.

"You're not giving me any options here, man. Just, will you please listen to me because I really don't want to have to order you to do it." Tristan threatened. He would hate to have to do that, but he would if that was the only way to make Justin listen to reason.

"What's stopping you this time, Captain. You already pulled that crap this morning, ordering me to take that girl, and call for medical help." Justin answered boldly. "So, unless you want to really piss me off, and report me for insubordination this time, I suggest you get the fuck out of my way and leave me alone. Sir."

When Tristan didn't answer, Justin took a step closer. "Either charge me or get the hell out of my way."

They both stood there, not moving for a couple of seconds, until Justin stepped around Tristan and left the room. When Tristan turned around to leave, he saw the rest of his men gathered around. Of course they were listening.

"If you have something more to say to me, I suggest you do it now, because the next one who fails to obey an order, or fails to address me with anything but respect is going down." He said angrily.

All the men looked at each other to see the others reactions, but Dylan was the only one brave enough to say something, in an attempt to calm things down. "Hey man, we get it. No need to threaten us too." When Tristan just narrowed his eyes at Dylan; Dylan tried again. "No sir. We don't have anything to say to you, Sir."

"Okay then. Go home. I think we all need a break." He said, dismissing the men.

After a few "Okay Sir, Thank you Sir" from his soldiers, he decided to call it a day and go home. When he was out the door, officially off duty, Dylan was right beside him.

"So, can I talk to you now, or are you going to pull the Captain routine again?" Dylan started. When Tristan just sent him an angry look, but said nothing, he continued. "Great. Because I have to tell you man, it must have pissed Justin off way more than it did us. I mean, I get it, that you're our Captain. It's your job to do that, and boss us around. But you're also Justin's best friend. Hell, more like his brother. You have to know what it felt like for him to have shot you. Just give him enough time to cool down before going after him. You know him. He's not going to listen to you now."

"I know." Tristan said, stopping at his car, and looking at Dylan. "I know that." He repeated.

"Look, man, just go home. Talk to Rory." Dylan said.

Tristan groaned. "Oh man. I still need to talk to Rory. Fuck." and then he got into the car, leaving a grinning Dylan standing there thinking: One down, one more to go. Let's see if Justin's in a better mood than Tristan...


	20. Chapter 20

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

Dylan found Justin in the training center, running on the track. Those two are so alike it's almost annoying. I can't believe that they don't even notice... Oh well... I hope he's had enough time to cool down... I don't wanna go home with a black eye today...

"Hey man. I thought you hated to run." He started, wanting to judge how far he was going to have to go.

"Not in the mood, Dylan..." Justin barked, but after a few seconds, he started to slow down the pace to a walk.

"What, you're not going to tell me to go to hell, too?" He continued.

"Sure I will. I'd stop now if I were you." Justin threatened.

"Well, I must have a death wish, then. Come on, man. I just wanted to know how you were feeling." Dylan continued, and gave Justin his towel and a bottle of water after he stopped.

"Oh, I'm peachy. Just peachy." Justin said, thinking that the damn run did nothing to diminish his anger.

"Hey, I'm serious. How are you feeling?" Dylan tried again.

"I don't know. I feel like I just shot my best friend in the arm, and then I had to listen to him pull rank and threaten to report me, all because I didn't want to listen. But other then that, I'm absolutely fine."

"Well, if you fell like crap, imagine having to make the freaking decision in less than a second in order to save that girl, and getting shot in the arm..." Dylan said, taking Tristan's side for a second. "I mean, give the guy a break. It is not the first time he had to take a bullet that wasn't meant from him." He looked Justin pointedly, daring him to deny why he was so angry.

"Yeah, well, I guess seeing him take the bullet that was meant for me is a walk in the park, compared to the feeling of shooting him." Justin said sarcastically. He really didn't want to think about it. He gave the bottle back to Dylan and headed towards the shower.

"And you can't see why the guy was worried about you, right? Damn it Justin. He knows you. Why did you think he pulled that captain crap over you this morning?" Dylan said. "Don't you think it is hard enough on him, being your captain? Being our captain?"

Justin just stopped dead in his tracks. He did know that it wasn't easy on Tristan being the captain, that he hated having to pull rank on them. In reality, Tristan rarely pulled rank, and it was far less then he should. Damn. Justin was going to have to apologize, as soon as he was able to stop seeing that same bullet pierce his best friend's heart in his mind.

"Just... talk to the guy, Justin. He was worried about you." Dylan said, hoping to get through to Justin. He hated being in the middle, but he knew that those two would take weeks to get around to talking to each other.

"Yeah. I know." Justin said, mostly to himself, seeing as Dylan had already left him to his own devices. He hit the shower and tried not to think about this morning. Again.

While Dylan was trying to shake some sense into Justin, Tristan was standing outside his own house, afraid to go inside. He knew that she loved him. He was certain of it. So, why did she deny it? Was she freaking out? Was she afraid? There were millions of things going through his mind right now. He remembered Justin telling him to grow a pair, and for the second time he thought: Okay. This is it. It's make it or break it, right?

He came in, saw Ryan sitting on his favorite chair on his living room, reading a book. "Hey Greene. Thank you for looking after Rory." he said.

"Hey Captain. It was no big problem. She's a doll." Ryan said truthfully. "She wore herself out, thinking about you. She made the biggest cup of coffee I've ever seen, walked around for a while, and then crashed. I've never seen anything like it." He continued, amused. She sure was something else.

Tristan smiled at Ryan's words. "Yeah. She's amazing like that."

I'll say, Ryan thought, but said nothing. He shouldn't be thinking that anyway. He just grinned, and got up to leave.

"Well, she's all yours, captain. She's crashing on your bed. Somehow, I thought you wouldn't mind..." he tried to joke, opening the door to leave.

"Hey, Ryan." Tristan stopped him, before he got out the door. "Are you okay getting home by yourself?" he asked.

"Kent lives just down the street, I'll see if he can give me a ride." Ryan answered, and continued walking out the door. But Tristan was only half listening. His mind was already on Rory, lying in his bed.

He walked into his bedroom, and felt his heart clench in his chest at the sight of her on his bed. Since they began dating, they usually spent the nights at her place. Sure, she had been inside his house a couple of times, he had even cooked her dinner here. But this was the first time that he saw her alone in his bed.

He didn't think twice. He kicked of his shoes, discarded his tee-shirt, and laid down next to her. She didn't even stir. He pulled her close to him, and started to nuzzle her neck. When she sighed and snuggled even closer to him, he just breathed her in. God, he loved her. He decided right then and there that he wouldn't leave this bed until she told him that she loved him too. He started to take off her clothes, slowly, kissing her all over. He just hoped that by the time he finally got to her underwear, she would be wide awake.

When Rory finally stirred, she was out of her mind with pleasure. The way that Tristan was making her feel should be illegal. She was so lost in his touch that she barely registered all the loving words he was saying to her. She didn't noticed the moment he took her arms, and held them prisoner above her head. When she tried to free herself, he pinned her to the bed, looked her in the eyes, and smiled. He could read the emotions in her eyes, and he knew that she loved him, even if she couldn't say it yet. But she would.

"Tristan... please..." Rory mumbled. She was way past the point of no return. She needed him. Now. She didn't want to play games this time.

"Say it." Was all he said. He was holding her, almost tenderly, and he had the most serious look on his face. She knew instantly what he was asking for, their earlier conversation still in her mind.

"Tristan..." she pleaded with him. Don't make me say it... Please... Don't make me say it. I'm not ready. She thought.

"Say it..." He said in a low voice, and he started kissing her neck, still holding her firmly with his body. "I'm not going to let go until you say it."

"Tristan..." she moaned, wringing beneath him, but she continued withholding the words. She was afraid, she had spent all day fighting the urge to run and hide.

"Say it..." He tried one last time, whispering it softly in her ear this time, sending another wave of pleasure through her body, before going back to her neck. He heard her sharp intake of breath, and waited. After a few seconds, he heard it.

"I love you..."

"I love you too..." Tristan said, and decided to put the two of them out of their misery and let go. They spent what was left of the day making love to each other.


	21. Chapter 21

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

It was about two in the morning when Rory finally stirred, after a few rounds of lovemaking. It looked like finally admitting her feelings for Tristan had set her free. She really loved him. She looked at him, sound asleep, holding her by the waist, like he was trying to protect her from the world. Her stomach was growling, and she tried to remember when she last ate. She was trying to get up without waking him, but even before she started moving his arm, she felt him tighten his hold.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" He asked her, in a raspy, sleepy voice.

"I was going to raid your kitchen. I'm starving." She said, and kissed him lightly.

"Yeah?" he smirked. "Did I make you hungry?" he asked, full aware of the double meaning of his words, sleep be damned.

"Always" She teased, in a sultry voice.

He just growled, and moved over her, covering her with his body one more time. "You have no idea what you do to me, when you say things like that, Mary..."

"Didn't you say that I needed a new nickname, Captain DuGrey?" She continued, trying to best him in his own game. She boldly molded her body to his, pushing up and arching her back.

"Working on it, Mary..." He said, trying to hold on to his discipline, and knowing he was failing. "If you keep that up, you're not going to be able to leave this bed today"

"Is that a promise?" She asked, forgetting all about the need to eat.

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When they were finally finished with each other, hours later, Tristan was the one to get out of the bed. When Rory asked him where he was going, he said that he had appeased one hunger, and now he was going to see what he could do to appease the other one. They ate in bed, and spent most of the early morning talking, too exhausted to do anything else. At about eight am, Rory announced that she needed to jump in the shower and go to work.

Tristan drove her to the paper, and promised to send someone in to give an official account of yesterday's mission, so she could write her follow up article. He first thought about sending Justin, but he figured that if Justin was still pissed, sending him to talk to Rory would certainly push him over the edge. He sighed and decided to talk to Ryan again.

He arrived at the base at around nine, and instead of going to the training center for his usual workout, he remembered most of last night's action and decided to skip it. He found Ryan shaking hands with General Gates and decided to wait and walk with him.

"Hey Captain. How are you today?" Ryan asked

"I'm good, Greene. How about you?" Tristan answered. "Have you decided what you're going to do?" He continued, thinking about the conversation with Gates.

"I did, Sir. I decided to stay in the military, despite my honorable discharge. I'm not going to be on active duty as a soldier, but I'm going to stay at Special Forces. They wanted someone to fill a spot at the Public Relations' Office." Ryan said.

"Hey, that's great man. Congratulations!" Tristan said, relieved that Ryan would get to stay on the team. He was worried about him. "Oh, man. You're going to love it. Lt. Colonel Custer just asked me to send someone to the paper, to give an official account to Rory of yesterday's mission! Are you up to it, Sgt Greene?" He asked, smirking.

"Thanks Captain. I'd love to do that. It looks like we are going to be working together, if she's going to be writing about the Rescue Team." Ryan answered. "I'm going to tell the guys the news and then I'll give her a call."

"Hey, Ryan. Do you have a second?" Tristan asked.

"Sure." Ryan answered. When Tristan said nothing, he continued: "Just give him a few days, DuGrey." He said, knowing that this was about Justin. "Maybe, talk to him on Monday. "

Tristan was taken aback when he heard Ryan addressing him by name. He rarely did that, especially when they were at the base. He figured that Ryan was probably right, even if he didn't know the full extent of this situation. He'd talk to Justin on monday. He sent Ryan on his way to talk to Rory, and went about his business.

He saw Justin during lunch, but decided to follow Ryan's advice and left him alone. Dylan looked from Justin to Tristan, and sighed. This was not going to be easy. He thought that, after his talk with Justin, those two would find a way to sit down and talk it out. He saw that Tristan was giving Justin some space, and, truthfully, he expected Justin to crack first, and go after him. He decided that he'd wait until the day was over to meddle.

"Hey, DuGrey, did you hear the news?" Dylan asked, getting up from the table and trailing after him.

"About Ryan? Yeah, I did. Just sent him on his first assignment this morning. He's going to be talking to Rory." He answered, smiling, thinking that his girlfriend would like to know that she'd be working with Ryan. "Kid was real happy about it."

"Yeah, I knew he'd find a way to stay around. He's a tough kid. He'll get over this accident." Dylan said. He was trying to buy some time, and figure out how to approach the 'Justin incident'. Without getting on Tristan's bad side.

When Dylan said nothing more, Tristan looked at him, and sighed. "Just say it already Dylan. I know you want to talk about Justin."

"Just testing the waters here, DuGrey. I'm not in the mood to be yelled at again." He tried, thinking about yesterday's fight.

"Well, go ahead. I'll try to keep my voice down." Tristan said sarcastically. He'd almost never had to raise his voice, or reproach his men. Even that whole 'captain' routine was rare. "Look, I'm sorry that I had to pull that crap over Justin's head. But you saw the look on his face. What did you expect me to do. Hell, I AM his captain. I don't like it, but I am. Maybe I shouldn't have requested for him to be on my team. But it was our decision. He told me to go ahead and do that, after we returned."

"Don't be an idiot. Of course you should have done it. Hell, we'd do the same thing, and you know it. I'm glad to be on your unit, and I sure as hell know that Justin is too. Even when you have to pull rank on him. Just, give the guy a break, Tristan. He shot you. He could have killed you. He didn't, but you know as well as I do that if he missed, if he was a second early, he could have killed you." Dylan continued, talking as hotly as Tristan.

"I know."

"I mean, the guy had barely recovered from the fact that you took a bullet that was meant for him, almost dying in the process, and now he has to deal with shooting you on top of that..." He continued, getting to the point. A lot of things happened since their first tour, or more precisely, since Tristan was shot, and Dylan wondered if the two of them ever talked about that, or if that was the first time that someone said it out loud, outside official records, of course.

"I know." Tristan repeated.

"Okay then. Just, give him time to cool down. You knew that he was going to be pissed at you, for talking to him as a Captain addresses a soldier." Dylan finished, and decided that his job was done. Now, it was up to them. He hated to be caught in the middle, and those two were as close as brothers.

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Tristan didn't have to wait until monday to talk to Justin. He woke up way earlier than Rory on saturday and decided to let her sleep in. He got out of bed as quietly as possible, put on some shorts and running shoes, and figured he'd go for a run, and get some breakfast for them on his way back. He loved to spend the nights with her at her place because it was so her. It screamed Rory Gilmore. He knew that Emily had found and furnished the house, but, according to Rory, Lorelai had gotten her way, and most of the knick knacks were from her.

He opened the door to Rory's house and almost tripped over Justin. He was sitting on the steps of Rory's front porch, and from the looks of it, he was there for some time. He stood up, with his hands on his pocket, looking like he didn't sleep at all, and decided to wing it. After all, it was not like he knew what he was going to say.

"Hey." Justin tried.

"Hey man."

"I went to your house last night. Figured you'd be here, when I didn't see your car." He continued.

"You've been here all night?" Tristan asked, and motioned for the bench on the corner. He knew it wouldn't be a quick conversation. He sat down, and Justin just followed him.

"Kind of. You were kind of busy when I first arrived." He said, smirking at his best friend. "I didn't know she could be this loud man. But the quiet ones always are." He joked, trying to get a rise out of him.

"You're sick, Meyer." Tristan said, and shook his head.

"Hey, it's not like I stopped and listened all night. I went for a drive. I needed to clear my head anyway. I got back around four. Figured that you'd be awake by now.

"Yeah. Never did got rid of the habit of getting up at five in morning and going for a run. Those guys at Oak Ridge must be glad..." Tristan agreed.

"So. Long night?" Justin grinned.

"Like you wouldn't believe. But you're not here to talk about mine and Rory's sex life, are you?" Tristan asked.

"I really hope not..." They both heard Rory's answer, and turned to look at the door, looking like two deer caught in head lights.

Justin was the first to speak. "Hey doll, did we wake you?"

Rory walked up to them, with two cups of coffee, and placed a soft kiss on Tristan's lips before answering. "Nope. I got up to get a glass of water, and saw you two out here. Figured you could use some coffee. I really don't know how someone can like waking up at this ungodly hour, so I'm going to leave you two alone and go back to bed." She smiled, sensing that the two friends had a lot to talk about. Ryan told her a little bit about what had happened, when he brought her to Tristan's house. So she left them alone.

"Man, you're so in love it's almost sickening." Justin teased him.

"Yeah. I really am." Tristan said, thinking about how he got her to say it back.

"You're a lucky man, DuGrey. She's a sweetheart." Justin said.

"Are we okay, man?" Tristan asked, tired of running around the issue. Otherwise, he'd be talking about Rory all day.

Justin sighed. "Yeah. Or, we'll be. As soon as I manage to get that image of you running into my line of fire out of my head."

"Yeah. I get it." Tristan said, truthfully, as he could still see the gun pointed at Justin's head, all those years ago.

"You were an idiot." Justin retorted, but couldn't even muster enough bite to add to his voice.

"I knew you wouldn't miss it." Tristan said pointedly. No need to expand on that.

"Well, you always had more faith in me than I did in myself. You saved my life that day, Tristan." Justin said, finally addressing the issue and talking about their first tour. "I don't think I could ever repay you for that. I knew by then that it wouldn't be the last time that you'd take a bullet that wasn't meant for you. I just never though that I would be the one pulling the trigger when it happened."

They both stayed silent for a second, thinking about that night so many years ago. They had been friends for a long time before Tristan saved Justin's life, but from that day on, they shared a bond that they knew couldn't be broken. Sure, Justin saved Tristan's life more than once, when they were on active duty, but never putting his own life at risk. They had made a pact when they came back, to always watch out for one another. That was one of the reasons that Tristan requested that Justin be on his team, because he knew that, with Justin's skills as a sniper, they'd be safe most of the time. Last Wednesday, he was not worried that Justin would miss because he trained him himself.

"I'm not sorry, man. I can't be sorry." Tristan said, hoping that his friend would get it. "We got our man, and we saved that girl. I can't be sorry for that. Getting nicked on the arm was a really small price to pay for that. It's our job, and we're damn good at it."

"It doesn't make it any easier for me." Justin said. He got it, he did. But it really didn't make things easier. He sometimes wondered if it was all worth it.

"Well, would it help if you knew that it made me get an 'I love you' from Rory?" Tristan joked, in order to lighten the mood. There was enough talk about death and shootings.

"Well... when you put it like that..." Justin said sarcastically. "So, we're okay, right?"

"Sure, man. We're good." Tristan said. "So, what are you going to do now?"

"Right now?" Justin asked. "I guess go home, and get some sleep. Enjoy my saturday. Why?"

"Want to grab some breakfast? Rory will be waking up in about half an hour. Which gives me enough time to get some bagels and maybe a muffin. And more coffee." He said.

"Sure." Justin said, getting up. "Did she really tell you she loves you?" He asked.

"Yeah. Well, first she freaked out because I was shot. Then she yelled at me, saying that I could have died, and called me a jerk. That's when I told her that I loved her too."

"So she didn't really say it, now, did she?" Justin asked, amused.

"She did later that night." Tristan said. "Maybe, she could argue it was under duress. But I knew I was right. She does love me."

"Under duress? What did you do? Tied her up and beat it out of her?" Justin joked.

"Didn't need to. I just made a really good case... " He answered, remembering the look on her face when he pinned her to bed, and kissed it out of her.

* * *

**A/N - Yes, this is a super long chapter. No, do not get used to it. It is just longer because I combined chapter 21 and 22 in one chapter. It's my gift to all of you who always wish for longer chapters. And I was tired of waiting for the guys to make up. :)**


	22. Chapter 22

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

Rory woke up to the sound of her phone ringing. At first, she thought she was dreaming, but the noise was too persistent to be a dream. She was too tired to think, having spent most of the night awake, making love to Tristan. She got up, and put on a robe before opening her door. Then she remembered finding Tristan and Justin talking to each other on the porch earlier that morning.

She looked around, but she didn't see them anywhere. It was a small house, so they had to be somewhere else. Still a bit dazed, she left the bedroom, went into the living room, and picked up the phone.

"Hey, beautiful. How are you doing this fine morning?" She heard Jake on the line. Why was he calling her so early? What was going on? She needed coffee.

"Hey Jake. What time is it?" She asked, trying without much success to wake up.

She went into the kitchen to get a cup of coffee. She held the phone with you hand, and poured the coffee with the other one. It was more warm than hot, but still good enough to jump-start her brain. She walked back to the living room, and sat down on the sofa.

"Almost 7:30. Did I wake you? Jake asked, smugly, knowing damn well that he did.

"Kind of. I woke up to find Tristan talking to Justin on my porch. At five in the morning I think." She said. "Where are they?" She asked, mostly to herself.

"Justin? You'll have to fill out the details for me, beautiful. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh my God." Rory said in a moment of panic. "I forgot to call my mother. I have to call her like, right now."

"Wow, Rory, is everything okay?" Jake said, starting to get worried. It was too early for Rory to call her mother, so it must be something really bad. Maybe he should sit down.

"Well... how much did mom tell you about my last assignment?" Rory asked, not wanting to repeat most of what happened if he already knew.

"Uhh... She said you were going to interview some guy, but then something happened and you had to drop the story. She didn't tell me why though." he said slowly. "Why? What happened?"

"Well... are you sitting down? Because that is going to take a while." Rory said, and then she proceeded to tell him everything, starting with the assignment and the research she had done, up until this morning, when she left Justin and Tristan talking on her front porch.

"I can't believe it. He just told this Justin guy to pull the trigger, and dove to save the girl? I think I like this guy already. He's got balls of iron, this one." Jake said, dually impressed. "Did he really tell you he loved you?"

"He really did. Well, first I freaked out because he was shot. Then I yelled at him, you know, saying that he could have died, and called him a jerk. That's when he told me he loved me too" Rory said.

"Wait. He said 'I love you too', to you? Did you say that you love him?" Jake asked, astonished. The Rory Gilmore he knew would never tell a guy first that she loves him first, not without a lot of freaking out, and especially not this early in the relationship. Wow. That was news.

"No. But he knew that I did. Love him, I mean." Rory said, smiling to herself. "So when I freaked out, and yelled at him, he just said that."

"Wow. Rory Gilmore is in love. I can't believe it. Can I tell your mother that?" Jake joked. He was happy for her. He knew that, after "the Logan incident", it was difficult for her to let herself fall in love. He knew he should be a little bit jealous, after all, she barely tried to be in a relationship when they were together. But in reality, all he ever wanted was for Rory to be happy.

"Sure, go right ahead. Feel free to tell my grandparents too, if you'd like." Rory answered sarcastically. "But I take it you didn't call me to hear that story. So shoot." She said, and grimaced at her poor choice of word. It would take some time for her to be able to use that word figuratively again, without thinking about what could have happened.

"Well. I was calling you to ask what you're doing two weeks from today."

"Two weeks? I have no idea. Why?" She asked him, already looking for her mobile to check her schedule. After all, she was due to a Stars Hollow visit for some time now. She hadn't been there since she moved to North Carolina.

"Because that's when I'll be all moved in, and we're going to have a party." Jake said.

"We?" She asked, suspiciously.

"Yeah, you know. A bunch of the guys, from the paper." Jake told her, not really giving her the full information. Rory was not a top reporter for nothing. She got right to the point.

"What guys, Jake?" she said, putting her mobile down.

"Well... see... after I got the job, I didn't really knew anyone here. So, Logan kind of invited me to come along to a few of his parties. And, well... I kind of hooked up with someone..." Jake said, not really comfortable with this part of the story. God, he was starting to sound like a Gilmore Girl, ranting about non-important things...

"Oh my God. You're going out with the stooges. I can't believe it. Who did you hook up with? What are you not telling me?" Rory began, getting up and walking around, in a full rant mode.

That's how Tristan and Justin found her. They stopped at the door, and just watched the one-sided conversation while waiting for her to notice them, and the fresh coffee.

"I'm trying to tell you, beautiful. I am. But, well, it's kind of weird." Jake tried, avoiding the question. It was still early in the morning. Maybe he could distract her.

"Stop distracting me and calling me 'beautiful' like that Jake. It won't work. I refuse to be distracted by that. It's someone I know, isn't it? Just tell me." Rory was starting to lose her patience, trying to figure out who Jake could be seeing, but she was still not aware of the audience. Justin saw Tristan frown when he heard the words 'beautiful' and 'Jake' in the same sentence, and grinned. Man, oh man, this was going to be good. Jealous Tristan was too easy to make fun of, he'd have a field day.

"Okay, okay. I'll tell you. It's Juliet." He said, waited a few seconds for the name to sink in and continued. "And she kind of freaked out when Logan told her that you kind of used to date me. So, she's kind of afraid of how you'd react, and she kind of made me promise you'd be there, for the party." Jake finally told her. You could tell how nervous he was by the number of times he said "kind of" in the last minute alone. Or by the fact that he actually used the word freak out.

"I can't believe that Logan did that. What was he thinking?" Rory said, and finally noticed the two friends watching her on the phone.

Justin had that amused expression on his face like the cat who ate the canary, that she was just starting to recognize, and Tristan... Well, Tristan looked like he could kill someone. She turned her back to the men, trying to get some privacy for this call, but she knew that they were still hearing her side of the conversation. Oh well.

"Well, I can honestly say that Logan was not thinking straight when he told her that. I guess it was after his 6th or 7th beer, if I'm not mistaken. As you can imagine, we never got to sleep. I think we're still a little bit drunk." Jake continued, a mile a minute.

"Oh, hang on a minute, beautiful..." He said, and Rory just heard the static of the phone being handed to someone else.

_No, he didn't. He wouldn't do that.I'm going to kill Jake... _She thought.

"Hey, Ace." She heard, as expected, and groaned. And then, she said without thinking it through.

"What is it with men and their nicknames?! Is it so hard for all of you to remember my name, Logan? It Rory. Ro-ry. It´s not 'Ace', it's not 'Beautiful' and it definitely isn't 'Mary'..." She said, knowing full well that Tristan was listening to her.


	23. Chapter 23

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Justin looked at Tristan with a smirk, and was going to say something to bait his best friend, when he saw his eyes darkening at the sound of Logan's name, and decided to shut up. _ Who the hell is Logan anyway? _Justin though. He didn't want to deal with those two fighting. Again.

"Who in the world would think to call you _Mary_? " Logan asked, amused. When Rory didn't answer he continued. "Well, you owe me one, Gilmore."

"What? I don't _owe _you anything, Logan." Rory said, defensively. She was already regretting introducing Jake to Logan and his crew. She really didn't have any problem with Jake and Juliet, none at all. But it looked like she was going to have to tell Juliet that.

"Sure you do, Gilmore. I got you this job, didn't I? And, by the looks of it, I've helped with more than just the job, according to Jake, right? Think about it, if you hadn't gone to North Carolina, you wouldn't have found your Army Boy, now, would you? Oohh. I just got the Mary reference. Ha."

"What do you want Logan." Rory asked, not amused. She was going to kill Jake. Why did he have to tell Logan about Tristan. Sure, they were friends, but she couldn't imagine this conversation ending well. At all.

"Why, Ace, you drive a hard bargain. All we want is for you to come to Hartford for Jake's party. Is it too much to ask, now? You can even bring your new boyfriend. Isn't he a DuGrey? He'll fit right in..." Logan smirked. The thing is, he really wanted her to come. He hadn't seen for some time, even before she broke things off with Jake and went to North Carolina. He actually missed her.

Rory sighed, and turned to Tristan. She took in his clenched hands, and his narrowed eyes, and gulped. She then looked at Justin, but Justin was occupied watching Tristan like a hawk and didn't even notice her silent cry for help. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and asked. "So, what are you doing two weeks from today?"

"Why?" Tristan asked, pointedly. He was not liking it. Not liking it at all.

"It seems I'm being summoned to Hartford. For a party." Rory said. She was trying to stay cool, and not think about what happened last time Tristan got that jealous. But it seems that her body didn't have the same discipline. She was nervous.

"Summoned by whom?"

"Well. Jake invited me. It's a kind of 'congratulations on your new job' kind of party. But there's more." Rory started. She knew that Logan was still on the phone, listening. Damn. When Tristan didn't say anything, she continued.

"Well. You remember Logan, right? See, the thing is, when we were going out, I kind of befriended his friends. And there was this girl, Juliet, that, well, we were close. Kind of close. Anyway, now, now she's seeing Jake. Because they all hang out together, you see. Which is good, because Logan got Jake his new job, and well, they all really get along. But Juliet is freaking out, because she didn't know that Jake was my boyfriend back in DC when they first hooked up. So, I have to go to this party." Rory rambled. Man she hated when Tristan did that to her... He always managed to make her sound like a blithering idiot when she was nervous. _He_ made her nervous.

Justin was trying to contain his laughter. He never knew a girl could ramble on and on like that. And she was supposed to be an eloquent reporter. And to see Tristan seething with jealousy? Priceless. He just hoped that his friend could hold on to his temper this time. This was fun. He couldn't wait to tell Dylan about it. Another ex-boyfriend.

"Because you apparently _owe_ him." Tristan said, repeating her words from earlier, but with a great deal of venom to it. He didn't want to even think about Logan, or Jake, or any other guy from her past. Especially Logan. The Huntzberger heir reminded him too much of himself, before the army, and that always left a bad taste in his mouth.

"So, what are you doing two weeks from now?" She asked again, ignoring what he just said. She refused to discuss her past with Logan. It was no one's business anyway.

"Well, it looks as if we're going to Hartford." He mumbled. Not a chance in hell he would let his girlfriend go to this party alone.

"We'll be there" Rory said on the phone, and hung up, but not before hearing the laughter and all the racket that the boys were doing on the phone. She could kill Jake later. "Wow. I'm starving. Is that breakfast?" Rory tried to change the subject.

"Not so fast, now, doll. Aren't you going to explain?" Justin asked, but it was more in Tristan's benefit than his own. He knew that his friend needed the whole story. He tried to think if Tristan had mentioned this Logan guy before...

"I just did. They're having a party. Juliet is freaking out because she's going out with Jake, and she will not settle down until she can see for herself that I have no problem with that." She started.

"No, doll. We already got that part. It's the part about you owing them something that we'd like to hear." Justin clarified.

"Oh. Well. Logan's a Huntzberger. His family is in the newspaper business. And he managed to get one of my articles in The New York Times, which is one of the reasons I was offered the job here in North Carolina. And also, he got Jake an interview at one of his father's papers, the one in which I used to work, before graduating." She explained.

"Well, she left out the part where they dated for three years, he proposed and she turned him down. I bet he thinks she owes him for that too." Tristan said darkly.

"Well, one thing has nothing to do with the other!" Rory said, already getting angry. "We were friends before we dated, and, thanks to my grandparents, who kept inviting me to those High Society affairs, we managed to stay friends, in spite all that had happened. And as Jake accompanied me to a few of this parties, he knows them, too."

"I still don't get it. Why do you have to go to the party? Can't you just talk to this girl on the phone?" Justin asked, not really understanding the complexity of the Hartford Society. But he knew about Tristan's background, and he figured that, as Tristan's best friend, it was his job to know him, so he wanted to understand.

"Well. It's not that simple. These people, their friends are their family. They are all society figures, with more money than they can spend in a lifetime, constantly ignored by their parents, and groomed for taking over their families' business one day. They were my only friends, for a while. And Jake, he's my best friend. We were always more friends than anything else. And if he likes Juliet, I want them to be happy. So I have to go to this party." Rory said.

Tristan sighed and gave up; he was not looking forward to this party. He had fought hard to be free of his parents, of this life, and he hated being summoned to Hartford. He knew that the minute he set foot in Hartford, that party was not going to be the only Hartford event he would be obligated to attend.

"Oh. I get it. It must be hard to grow up like that." Justin said, looking at Tristan, thinking about what kind of life he had before he was sent to Military School.

"It is." They both answered. Rory thinking about the time she spent at her grandparents', when she dropped out of Yale, and Tristan was thinking about his life before Oak Ridge.


	24. Chapter 24

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

They ate breakfast quietly, and Justin thought it would be wise to just go and let the two of them discuss their issues. He said goodbye to Rory, and motioned to Tristan to walk him to the door. He just wanted to make sure that Tristan would be on his best behavior.

"Just don't do anything stupid, DuGrey." He said, seriously.

"I won't." Tristan replied. "As I said before, I am not the jealous type."

"And as I said before, you could have fooled me. But it's okay, I get it. If I had a girl like that, I wouldn't want to lose her. I'd be crazy jealous too." Justin said, and took his leave.

Tristan closed the door, and just stood there for a minute, watching as Rory cleaned the table, and sighed. It looked like he was really going to Hartford. He wasn't looking forward to spending the night in a frat party, with both her exes, but he'd do anything for her. Even sit through the dinner that he was sure they were end up having, once her grandparents learned that the two of them were dating and in Hartford.

"Thank you," Rory said, walking up to him, and enveloping him in a hug, "for agreeing to go to this party."

"Hey, I'd do anything for you, Mary." He said, seriously, and kissed her on the top of her head. God, she loved her smell.

"Except learn my name, apparently." She teased, and looked up at him with those big, baby blue eyes.

"Well, according to Logan, you _do_ need a new nickname..." He said, trying not to let it bother him. He laughed when he saw her blushing at the comment. She was still such a Mary.

"I'd wager that not one person at this soiree is going to call me by my real name. What is it with you people and nicknames?" Rory complained, and sighed as Tristan started placing little kisses on her neck.

"Why? What does Logan's crew call you?" Tristan asked, not really paying attention. He was busy sneaking his hands under her shirt, all over her body.

"Well... Logan call me 'Ace', you know, for Ace Reporter. Colin and the girls call me 'Reporter Girl', and Finn usually calls me 'Love' or 'Kitten'". She said, and smirked when she felt Tristan groan and strengthen his hold on her at Finn's usual pet names for her. "But you wouldn't mind, now, would you?" She continued, all hot and bothered with Tristan ministrations.

"This is going to be a long party..." he said, opening her bra, and getting rid of her shirt at the same time. He could feel her shivering.

"You'll have fun. It's almost impossible not to have fun with those guys. You know the drill. Lot's of alcohol, good music, great food..." she said, trying to suppress a moan, and helping him getting rid of his sweat pants. He was driving her insane.

"Well, apparently, I have no choice." He said and kissed her hungrily. Soon, the rest of their clothing was on the floor and they had both almost lost control. He picked her up, without breaking the kiss, and walked blindly to her bedroom. She was going to be death of him someday.

"I'll make it worth your while." She whispered in his ear, and proceeded to show him just how much.

=.=

That weekend passed in the blink of an eye. Her second piece, the one about the Rescue Team, was published on Sunday and most of Tristan's men called Rory to congratulate her on the piece. They had a quiet dinner, and went to bed early.

Tristan spent most of the time trying not to think about that damn party. When he walked onto the base on Monday morning, Justin was waiting for him.

"So, how are you man? Looking forward to going home?" He asked, with a great dose of sarcasm. He knew that Tristan and his parents didn't get along.

"I am home. Hartford ceased to be my home a long time ago." Tristan answered truthfully.

"Hey, don't you have any friends worth seeing back there?"

"You know damn well that I don't. You guys are my family, have been since I enlisted. I hadn't even been back in Connecticut since the end of our first tour." _When I got shot_, he silently added, but didn't say it out loud. "Hell, I don't even take most of my mother's calls. But never in a million years would I let Rory walk into that party alone. I'm not looking forward to it, but a man's gotta do what a man's gotta do..." Tristan answered.

"Hey, at least you know all about those guys, right?" Justin asked.

"Yeah. That's half the problem. They are going to be all over her, all night. I hate those types..." Tristan complained. He just hoped he didn't end up shooting one of them. Wouldn't that be something?

"Well, if I'm not mistaken, you used to be one of those guys."

"And she used to hate me for that." Tristan said, getting to the point of what was bugging him. "I just, I don't get it. I can't picture her going out with those guys, drinking, dropping out of school, getting into trouble. Logan's reputation was far worse than mine in my best years, and still, she loved him. She really loved him."

"Well. She loves _you _now. She grew up, like we all did. Maybe, if she didn't go through all that, she wouldn't have given you a chance now." Justin said, trying to make Tristan look at the silver lining.

"I sometimes still can't believe she really loves me. I know that she does, I'm not doubting it. It's just... it's all I could think about, back in high school. And I honestly thought it would never happened."

"Well, maybe it's the uniform!" Justin smirked, adjusting this shirt. "Some girl are suckers for a man in uniform."

"Watch it, Meyer. You're not talking about any girl." Tristan joked, and hit his friend on the arm.

Justin hit him back, but he could see that his friend was still worried about it. He didn't really know what to say to reassure him, especially because he didn't exactly know the "old Tristan" that they were talking about.

"Hey man, don't worry about it. It's just a party." He decided to say. "You'll be back here in no time and all will be good again. She really loves you, man. Didn't you see the way she behaved when I nicked you in the arm with that bullet?" He continued and nudged him playfully again.

"I'm glad that you're finding it amusing now, Meyer." Tristan answered annoyed.

"Well, I can't stay mad at you forever, can I? If I do, who would have the guts to knock some sense into you when you're being stupid?" Justin answered.

"So not what I was hopping to hear." Tristan answered, and both men returned to their duties.


	25. Chapter 25

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

"Gilmore" Rory answered her phone without looking at the caller id. She was in a hurry, walking down the street. She wanted to buy a new outfit for Jake's party, and she decided to use go shopping over her lunch hour. She had to be in and out of the mall 30 minutes to make it back in time.

"Hey, that's my name too!" Lorelai replied on the phone.

"Hey mom! How are you?"

"I'm good, kid. So, how great is that, you're coming home this weekend!" Lorelai said. "I can't wait to see you. I don't think I'll be able to recognize you, after all this time. You will have to wear a name tag. Or a bell. Whatever works for you!"

"It hasn't been that long Mom. But I miss you too!" Rory said. She really did miss her mom. "So, I guess we're staying at the inn?"

"We? Oh my! My daughter is bringing home a man. I can't wait to meet him." She said in an horrible southern accent.

"You've met him before, mom. Remember? We went to Chilton together. He used to call me Mary all the time." Rory said, exasperated. "You dubbed him Bible Boy because of that." This was going to be a long weekend.

"I know, but he wasn't doing my daughter at the time!" Lorelai answered. Jake was right. It was always fun to tease Rory about boys.

"Mom!" Rory groaned. "You will behave, or we are going to find another place to crash. Maybe Lane can spare a room for us. Or Luke."

"You wouldn't!" Lorelai said hotly. "You love me too much to ditch me!"

"Well, mark my words, Missy." Rory threatened, but didn't continue. "Mom, I'll have to call you back, my phone is beeping and it might be my editor, wondering where I am."

"Okay hun, call me back when you know what time you're getting here. Bye." Lorelai said and hung up.

"Rory Gilmore" She said, again, on the phone.

"Hi Rory, It's your grandmother." she heard.

"Hey Grandma!" Rory answered, but was immediately cut off.

"So, a little bird told me that you're going to be in Hartford this weekend. Are you going to come for Friday Night Dinner?" Emily asked in a hurry. "It's been ages since we last had you for dinner. We miss you, young lady, and we're not getting any younger. We won't be here forever."

"Oh. Uh. I'm not so sure if I can make it. I don't know what time we're flying out." Rory said, trying to get out of another Friday night dinner. She just wanted to see her mom, and soak up a little bit of Stars Hollow before going back to North Carolina.

"We?" Emily asked suspiciously.

"Oh. I said 'we'? I meant 'I'. I don't know what time I'm flying out." Rory tried to cover, but it was useless. She was busted.

"Are you seeing someone? Is he coming home with you? It must be serious if he is. Why didn't I know that you were seeing someone? Where did you meet this boy? What do we know about him?" Emily asked, as expected. Rory couldn't believe she did that. She didn't even notice that she said 'we' instead of 'I'. Tristan was going to kill her.

"Well, actually, grandma, I believe you know his grandfather. His name is Tristan DuGrey. We went to Chilton together." Rory said. There was no way out of it. She knew what was coming.

"Well, I do know his grandfather. Janlen DuGrey is a great man. Oh, I'm so happy for you, Rory. He must be a fine young man, if he's a DuGrey. Well, that's it. You two must come for dinner. I'll call his parents immediately, I'm sure they will want to come to dinner, too. So, seven o'clock? I'll ask Richard to send you the tickets." Emily said with finality. "I'll see you Friday, Rory. Goodbye."

_I can't believe it. I walked right into that, all on my own. Wait a minute... How did she know that I was going home?_ Rory though, and then it clicked. She called her mother right away.

"Hey hun, that was fast!" Lorelai said, she wasn't waiting for Rory to call her until later.

"You told her!" Rory said accusingly on the phone.

"Wow. Slow down honey. Told who? I have no idea whatsoever you're talking about." Lorelai said on the phone, and thought,_Damn. Busted_.

"I can't believe you didn't warn me. That was grandma on the phone. And she knew that I was going to be home this weekend, and now, I have to sit through a Friday night dinner with Tristan and his parents." Rory ranted.

"Wow, I didn't say anything about Tristan. I was having lunch with your grandmother at the inn, when Sookie came in and asked me what time you were arriving, so she could make you your favorite cookies." She explained. "She rated you out, not me, but we didn't say anything about Tristan."

"Yeah, well, I kind of did, unknowingly. She asked me to dinner, and I said that I didn't know if I could make it because I didn't know what time we were flying out." Rory explained.

"We?" Lorelai smirked.

"Yeah. And before I knew it, she said that he must be a great man if he's a DuGrey, and that his parents must want to come to dinner too, and that Grandpa was going to be sending me our tickets. She is insane. I can't believe it." Rory whined.

"Well, hun, you are really going to have to make it up to Tristan. First, you drag him to a party with both of your ex-boyfriends, then you manage to get roped up into dinner with the grandparents and invite his parents... I hope you bought some new sexy lingerie to cheer him up..." Lorelai joked.

"Goodbye mother" Rory said and hung up the phone. _Damn. She's right._ She though. She looked at the time, smirked, and went back to the mall. She knew exactly what to buy!

=.= =.= =.=

Rory arrived home early that day, after her shopping spree, and decided to surprise Tristan. After all, she had a lot of making up to do. First Jake's party, now dinner with the grandparents. And he hated going to Hartford, even more than she did. So, when he called her and told her that he was going to bring dinner, she decided that now was a good time to start the aforementioned making up.

She blushed just thinking about it. She always thought that she wasn't sexy enough and never felt very comfortable in this department, but with Tristan, it was as if she was a whole different person. He always made her feel wanted. Desired. Beautiful. She was really happy that he was going to go with her to that party. She wanted him to know that side of her too. The carefree girl she usually was around those guys. Sure, she had her share of grief with them too, but she would always remember her Yale years fondly.

She also couldn't wait for her Yale friends to see this new side of her because just being with Tristan raised her confidence level. She was anxious for him and Jake to meet. She knew that he was jealous of Jake, but she was sure that, once he saw the kind of relationship she had with Jake, he would settle down. She was more worried about Logan. He usually is very good at reading people, and getting on their nerves. But then again, she loved jealous Tristan. The things that he can make her feel when he's in that mood...

She took a bubble bath, shaved her legs, and put on the sexiest lingerie she ever bought. She was already in the mood. She put on a robe, and put her hair up. And just a little bit of the perfume that she knew drove Tristan insane. Then, she lit up some candles, and dimmed the lights. She was just finishing serving some wine when she heard the doorbell.

"Hey, babe." She said, in a sultry tone, opening the door.

He looked at her for a second, took in the candles and the wine, the robe with almost nothing underneath, and asked: "What did you do, Mary?"

"Why do you think I did something?"

"Well, I know you. How many times did you open the door dressed like that before, with candles all over the room, the wine, the lights. I had already agreed to go to that damn party. So, what did you do?" He asked.

"Well, why don't you come over here and find out?" She said, dropping the robe, and slowly turning and walking into the bedroom, but not before seeing the effect she had over him. She loved the way that his eyes darkened, and his whole body went rigid, and his voice dropped a tone. If she was already hot, she was almost on fire now, just with him looking hungrily at her.

"Yes, ma'am!"

Hours later, when Rory could find her voice to speak, she told him about dinner. And Tristan was sure that, if his mind was not so clouded with all the things that she did to his body, and let him do to hers, he would have the ability to say he was not going to that dinner.

Man, she had changed. He always knew that she'd be good, after all, she excelled in everything that she did. But this, he was getting hard just thinking about all the things she did earlier. Before he could picture her kneeling between his legs, for a second time, he heard her talking to him.

"So," Rory asked, "What time do you leave tomorrow?"

"If you do that thing you just did again, I'll leave whenever you want, babe..." He said, rolling her on her back again. He couldn't get that imagine out of his mind. "Have I ever seen that lingerie before? Or did you buy it just for me?"

"I bought it earlier today. Thought you needed some cheering up, after the news."

"Well, then you shouldn't have waited until we were done to tell me we are going to have dinner with your grandparents. What are you going to do now, to cheer me up?"

"I can think of something..." she said, putting both her hands on his chest, trying to make him move, "but right now, I think we need to reheat that Chinese food that you brought. Because I'm starving."

"Well, I'm not done yet. I'm hungry too" He said, and started kissing her, thinking about tasting her too this time. He didn't need to do much to get her to forget all about the food.

When they were finally eating, Rory asked him again. "So, what time are you leaving tomorrow? I just got grandpa's email with the tickets, but I think that we can still change flights, if it too early. We need to be there at seven, at the most, and we should take almost one and a half hours to get there. So, we must leave at five maximum, to make it."

"I know, babe. I'm used to flying to Hartford. We can leave at five. I'll ask Justin for a ride, and he can take us to the airport. Stop worrying."

"But what if Justin can't make it?" She asked.

"Then we'll ask Dylan. And if he can't make it, we can call a cab. It's just a dinner. We'll be there at seven. Just relax."

"I can't. I'm nervous, I guess."

"You're nervous? Why? Your grandparents already love you. And my parents are going to be busy, listing all my faults... " He said.

"They can't be that bad, Tristan."

"They are. They really are. But you? They are going to love you."

"How can you be so sure?" She asked.

"Well, because you're perfect. In fact, I'm sure they will try and dissuade you from dating me, and try to find you a better boyfriend."

"Well, I don't want another boyfriend. I'm very happy with you." She said with a smile.

"Besides, if the dinner doesn't go to well, we still have the movie night at you mom's. I can't wait to meet her."

"I knew I shouldn't let you talk to her on the phone..."


	26. Chapter 26

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

It was almost seven pm and they were both standing in front of the Gilmore mansion. Tristan looked at Rory, but she made no move to ring the bell.

"Aren't you going to ring the bell? You know, your grandmother doesn't have superpowers, she has no way of knowing that we're out here." Tristan said.

"How do you know?" Rory answered.

She was buying time. Maybe, if her mother was already there, this dinner would be less awkward. But, knowing Lorelai, she would definitely be late. As always.

"Rory, just ring the damn b-" Tristan started to say, when Emily Gilmore suddenly opened the door.

"Don't just stand there. Come inside, you two." She said. "Richard, the kids are here!" She continued, and ushered them inside.

"I was wrong, she does have superpowers. Did you know she would do that?" Tristan whispered to Rory.

"Hey grandma. I missed you!" Rory said, hugging her. "Well, this is Tristan DuGrey, my boyfriend. You met him before, at my sixteenth birthday party, I think." She said as she made the introductions.

"It's nice to see you, Tristan. Come on in. What would you like to drink?" Emily offered, taking their coats. "I don't know why we spend a fortune on maids when I have to do their job..." She mumbled to no one in particular.

"It's so good to be home." Rory whispered to Tristan. She almost missed her grandmother's antics. Almost.

They were sitting in the living room, enjoying their drinks and having idle chit-chat when the doorbell rang again. After a second, Emily sighed and stood up again to open the door. She was again muttering to herself something about needing a new maid. She soon returned with Tristan's parents.

"Mom. Dad. How are you?" Tristan got up to greet them.

"Well, I see that you finally mastered the art of being on time." His father answered. He made no move to hug or even shake his son's hand. "I hope you're at least thinking about leaving that godforsaken place you chose to live, now that you're dating a Gilmore. " He continued. His mother was silent, as usual.

"Nope, not yet. Rory just moved to North Carolina, dad. She just started a new job with a paper down there, so I don't think she's planning on moving any time soon." Tristan answered. His father had not changed at all. Tristan just kissed his mother on the cheek and sat down again, next to Rory. This was going to be a long night.

Tristan's father continued lecturing him, "all this talent lost working for the army. You're a DuGrey, your place is here, in Hartford." Tristan sighed, this speech was nothing new to him. His father gave the same one every time. Rory, on the other hand, could not believe what she was hearing and she was getting angrier by the second.

Rory couldn't keep quiet. "I think his talent is being put to a very good use, sir. Tristan and his team have the best track record in rescuing hostages, and he just saved a girl's life this month. I think the Army is really lucky to have him." She said as politely as possible. This _was_ going to be a long night. She hated the condescending tone that Tristan's father used to talk to Tristan.

"Oh, I heard about that. Didn't you write an article about it, Rory?" Richard asked, trying to change the focus of the conversation.

"Yes, I did. It was my second article for the paper. It was a follow-up to the piece about the work of the Special Forces Rescue Team. You know, Tristan's team. You two should read it." She told Tristan parents. "According to General Gates, Tristan's one of the best in his field."

Tristan's father glared at her, for her comment, but before he could say something, the doorbell rang again. Emily once more went to open the door, and came back with Lorelai.

"Saved by the bell" Tristan whispered to Rory. He was glad that she thought so highly of him, but he gave up on pleasing his parents years ago. He knew that one dinner was not going to change their minds. He just hoped it wouldn't change Rory's too.

Lorelai managed to lift the mood a little bit, with her usual antics, but the dinner was awkward at best. Richard and Emily liked Tristan well enough. After all, he was a DuGrey, and soldier or not, he still had his name and his trust fund, and would be able to provide for Rory. He was a good man, and a good match for her, and that was all that mattered to the Gilmore's. They were happy for the couple.

Lorelai, on the other hand, loved Tristan. She could see how much he cared about her daughter just by agreeing to attend this dinner from hell. And she was looking forward to getting to know him even further. The way that his parents treated him just made Lorelai like him even more. She knew first hand what it was like to not live up to your parents' expectations, and how hard it must have been for him to start a new life, alone, in North Carolina. She hoped that he had found someone to look after him during those first years, and soften the blow, the same way Mia had for her.

She saw that every time that his parents made a snarky commentary, Rory would tighten her hold on his hand. She was glad that Tristan had Rory on his side. Lorelai knew that Rory could take on any entitled, judgmental society type parents, especially after Rory's interactions with Shira and Mitchum Huntzberger. So she spent most of the dinner watching them interact.

After the longest night ever, they were on their way to Stars Hollow. Rory and Lorelai were happily chatting on the car, but Tristan was quiet. He really hated his parents' attitude. Sure, he was used to it, but it didn't make it any easier to deal with. He thought about his first year in North Carolina, and about how Justin's parents took him in. He knew now what a real family was like, and was happy that his girlfriend had a nice, normal relationship with her mother. Well, as normal a relationship as possible for the Gilmore Girls.

"So, Tristan. I see that you survived the first round. There's a whole lot of sugar and vodka waiting for us back at home. You can pick your poison. You'll feel better in no time at all." Lorelai said. She was quiet for half a second, then with a sly smile on her face, she asked. "So, which was worse, sitting through this dinner or getting shot while on duty?"

Tristan thought about it for a second, but quickly answered. "I'd say that getting shot is a piece of cake, compared to being in the same room as my parents nowadays. Hostage negotiations too. Hell, I'd take a stakeout in the middle of a desert to sitting through another one of those dinners." He answered truthfully.

"See, I told you so." Lorelai told Rory.

Rory rolled her eyes. "You're both crazy..."


	27. Chapter 27

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory!**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter. Most of you should thank her to, for convincing me that I should combine my original 3 short chapters into a long one. I hope you all like it!. ;)**

* * *

Rory was in the process of getting dressed when her phone rang for the third time. She sighed, seeing that it was Jake, and answered it. "Yes, I know I'm late. I swear I'm on my way. I'm not going to ditch the party. Tristan is here and is going with me. We've been over this Jake. What do you want now?" Rory said.

"Well, just making sure you're on your way. Juliet says we're not supposed to start drinking before you get here, so the guys are a bit anxious for that to happen. You know these guys, they don't usually play nice without a couple of drinks." Jake said, not fazed at all.

"Bye Jake." Rory said and hung up.

"You know, if you really want to go to this party, you'd better put some clothes on." Rory heard Tristan and turned around. "Or, I could be helping you undress instead of watching you put some clothes on."

"You can undress me later. But right now, we're really late." She said. She put on some dark jeans and a fitted dark blue top, with a white jacket. He thought she looked amazing, then again it didn't matter what she wore, the guys would be staring at her all night. Damn.

A few minutes later, they were walking into Jake's apartment. Juliet was the first to reach them. She yelled Rory's name, grabbed her by the arm and pulled her inside one of the bedrooms, closing the door. All eyes were on Tristan now. _Great. _He thought. _Come on, DuGrey, you survived much more hostile environments. This will be a peace of cake._

"So, you must be Tristan." He heard someone on his side say. "I'm Jake. It's nice to finally put a face to the name." He said, in a friendly manner. "Can I get you a beer? Don't worry, Juliet will release Rory in a minute. She just wants to make sure that Rory is okay with us dating."

"Sure. A beer would be nice." He told him, following him into the living room. "So, you're part of this crew now?" He asked, looking around, still feeling out of place without Rory. Jake, on the other hand, looked like he was home.

"Well, I had my doubts in the beginning. I thought that the guys were just putting up with me because of Rory, but it seems that I am part of their group now. I take it that Rory told you how it happened." He took a couple of beers from an ice bucket besides the table, and threw one to Tristan.

"Yeah. Huntzberger got you the job. You're originally from Hartford, aren't you?" He asked, sipping his beer, a little more relaxed.

"Yeah. I grew up here, but I moved to New Jersey when I started at Princeton. And then, moved to DC for my first job. But it's good to be home." Jake said, and motioned to the corner, a couple of steps away from the bedroom door where Juliet pulled Rory in. "I take it that North Carolina is home for you now?"

Tristan nodded. "It has been for some time. Ever since I got shipped off to military school almost fifteen years ago." Tristan couldn't help thinking how easy it was to talk to Jake because he seemed like such a nice guy.

"Do you ever miss it? Hartford, I mean." Jake asked, and leaned against the wall. He was curious about Tristan. The guy standing in front of him was not at all what he had pictured in his mind.

"Not really. I don't belong here anymore."

"Well, good for you. I think that North Carolina agrees with Rory. You make her happy, and I don't even have to look at her to know that."

"Thanks, she makes me happy too." Tristan answered truthfully.

"You should have seen her before that first 'real date' you took her on. I've never seen her so nervous about a date before. Man, that phone call was fun." Jake said, using his fingers to as quotation marks when he said 'real date'. That's when I knew it."

Tristan didn't have any idea what Jake was talking about. "Knew what?"

"That she was finally where she was supposed to be. The entire time that Rory and I were together, I knew that it wouldn't last." He said. He noticed the look on Tristan's eyes when he mentioned he and Rory together, but decided to continue anyway. "I knew that she didn't love me, that after all she went through with Logan, she was afraid of falling in love, and getting hurt again. So, she kept me at arm's length. But when she told me about you, after she interviewed one of your soldiers, I knew that there was something there. And then, when you answered her phone that morning, I was sure."

"Sure of what?" He asked, again. He was not the most patient man, and he hoped that Jake would just get to the point. He hated, really hated thinking about Rory and, well, any other guy that was not him... "Just spit it out Jake. I won't hesitate to beat it out of you."

"That she was in love." Jake told him, like it was something that Tristan was supposed to know all along. "That she had finally let her guard down and that she was letting herself be happy, really happy. I just hope that I didn't ruin anything with that call."

When Tristan looked away, Jake's curiosity was piqued. So something _had_ happened that day. He knew that there was something that Rory didn't want to tell him. He decided to go for it.

"I always wondered what would it take to make that girl do something unplanned, in the spur of the moment. It took me almost three months just to get her to have dinner with me, even more to kiss her good-night. What's your secret man?" Jake asked, knowing that he was probably minutes away from getting punched in the face for that question. But he couldn't help himself.

Tristan narrowed his eyes, but eventually he gave up. Damn, he really liked Jake; he kind of reminded Tristan of Justin. He didn't think anyone else would have the guts to say something like that to him. He shook his head, and snorted.

"All I had to do was wait her out. She turned me down so many times before, I didn't think I had a chance. So I didn't even think to ask her out. She did it all on her own. Gave me her card and told me to 'stop by anytime' and that was that." Tristan answered, smirking.

"Ha. I told her you were a smart guy, that you would think it was a date."

"Well, who wouldn't?" Tristan said. He heard the click of the door opening, and knew that her girlfriend was right beside him, and probably heard his last remark.

"Who wouldn't what?" They both heard Rory ask.

"Think that you handing him a card and telling him to 'stop by anytime' wasn't a date." Jake answered. "I told you he'd think it was a date."

"I didn't ask him on a date. I was being polite." Rory answered, embarrassed. Tristan just laughed, and put his arm around her shoulders, pulling her close to him.

"Sure you did. Anyone but you would think it was a date." Jake continued baiting her. They didn't notice their audience until someone said:

"Well, well, well. I can't believe it. Rory Gilmore having to ask for a date? I'll be damned. I'd think all you needed to do to get one was bat your eyelashes. It's all in the eyes, kitten."

"Finn!" Rory said, and smiled. "Oh, wow. The gang is all here." She would have hugged them, if Tristan wasn't firmly holding her in place. It was going to be a long night.

"Think you can loosen your hold on this lovely one, mate, so we can greet her properly?" Finn asked Tristan. "I promise we'll hand her back to you in one piece, right mates?"

Tristan sighed and removed his arm. There was nothing he could do but watch her as she hugged and fussed all over those boys. He narrowed his eyes, and prayed that he would hold onto his temper

"Word of advice? Don't let those guys get to you. They will test you all night, and they are experts in causing trouble. They tried to do it to me, but gave up when they noticed that we weren't that serious. But they are going to read you in a second. The moment that they pick up the jealousy thing? You're a goner." Jake said.

"I'm that transparent?" Tristan asked, glad that at least he had Jake on his side, now.

"Clear as water, man."

"Hey, Kitten, how's life in North Carolina treating you?" Finn asked, hugging her tightly and spinning her around.

"I'm good, Finn. Hey Colin." She said, hugging the second boy.

"Hey, Reporter Girl. It's good to see you." Colin answered, hugging her awkwardly, with just one arm, and letting go after a second. After all, he wasn't overly fond of public displays of affection.

"Hey, Ace." She heard Logan say, going for a hug. "Looking good, as always." He whispered on her ear, but high enough for Tristan to hear.

"Hey Logan." She said, hugging him to. When he didn't let go immediately, she continued. "You can let go of me, now."

"In a minute. I'm just enjoying the show. Didn't know that DuGrey was the jealous type." He continued, smirking, when he noticed Tristan clenched hands.

"I warned you, man." Jake told Tristan in a whisper...

"So, guys, this is Tristan DuGrey. Tristan, I can see that you already met Jake. This is Logan, Colin and Finn." Rory made the introductions. "Jake, Juliet is in the bedroom, waiting for you. She told me to send you in."

"So, DuGrey, haven't heard about you in a while. It's been what, fifteen years?" Logan started. "How was Military School? It was the talk of the town for awhile." Logan continued.

"Well, lucky me." Was all that Tristan said. But he relaxed a bit when Rory took his hand. You'd think he was ready for a shoot-out, from the way he was standing, all rigid and alert. She could almost picture Tristan standing there with his uniform.

"So, what happened after Military School, mate?" Finn asked, genuinely curious, trying to alleviate the tension. He was getting the feeling that one of them would not be walking home if this kept up.

"I went to West Point after that, graduated with honors as a Lieutenant and decided to go back to North Carolina for my mandatory years of service." He told them. He wasn't expecting to impress them, but he did. "Then, when those years were up, I decided to stay in the military."

"Actually, what he is not saying is that, after those first mandatory years, he was promoted to Captain right after he returned from his first tour, and now he heads a Special Forces Unit." Jake continued, coming back from the bedroom with Juliet. "Did I get it right, beautiful? I _did_ read your articles, you know. All of them. They are really impressive."

"You served in Afghanistan, mate?" Finn asked, as if what they heard was not impressive at all. Like he was more than used to this kind of life.

"Yeah." Tristan said. He was used to people asking questions about the war, but did not expect it from one of them.

"It must have been difficult to come back." Finn said, and after downing the rest of his beer, he continued. "My brother had trouble adjusting, the second time around, but went back for a third tour. He' coming home this weekend, though. On leave."

"Your brother's in the army?" Rory asked, surprised.

"Navy. He's part of the Australian UNAMA mission, in Afghanistan."

"How come we never knew that?" Logan asked Colin, his voice above a whisper.

"Well, Finn doesn't talk much about his family." Colin answered, shrugging his shoulders.

"Who does?" Finn asked. "Another beer, mate?" He asked Tristan. And like that, the subject changed to something lighter.

As the party progressed, Tristan saw his girlfriend interact with the guys. She looked like she was having a great time. He wondered if she missed Connecticut, or if Jake was really right. He swore he would never return to Connecticut, his life was in Raleigh now, but for her, he'd do anything, even return to Hartford. He was watching her talk to Jake and Juliet, with a big smile on her face, when Logan approached him.

"Are you okay there, DuGrey? Need another beer?" He asked, wondering how to talk to Tristan.

"I'm good." Tristan answered, lifting the one he was holding, which was still half full.

"So. You and Rory?" Logan asked. He was curious, and he was not in the mood for small talk.

"Yeah." Tristan answered shortly. He was trying to be nice here, but he too didn't want to do that whole small talk thing. Not with Logan, anyway.

"Does it bother you, that we have a past?" Logan asked, right to the point.

"Bother me? No man, not at all." Tristan answered, taking a swig of his beer. He'd be damned if the told the truth. "It surprised me a bit, though, when she told me."

"I guess it surprised all of us." Logan said looking at Rory, and taking a little too long to look away for Tristan's liking.

"No offense man, but I really don't get it. She used to hate guys like you in high school." Tristan said, not liking the way that Logan was looking at her, and knowing that it was deliberate.

"Yeah? Well, she liked me just fine, if I remember it correctly." Logan baited him. Or at least tried to, but it looks like it just backfired.

"Apparently, not enough." Tristan answered, not amused, and thinking about her answer when he proposed. "Or else, she'd be a married woman now. But hey, she's with me now, so I can't really complain." And with that, he got up and walked towards Rory. He had had enough. He didn't even try to hide his temper, he just grabbed her arm, whispered something to her, making her blush, turned her around and kissed the daylights out of her, in the middle of he room.

Jake smiled at the scene, knowing that Logan must have said something to Tristan to put him in this mood, and motioned to Juliet to leave them there. He walked up to Logan, who was watching them, a perplexed look on his face. Colin and Finn had already joined him.

"So, what did you say to him?" Jake asked.

"Nothing, man. Nothing at all." Logan answered, not wanting to repeat that conversation out-loud.

=.=

When Tristan started thinking that it was a good idea to just rip her clothes and have her in the middle of Jake's living room, during the party, he broke off the kiss. He didn't let go of her just yet, he just stood there, with his eyes closed, trying to forget about where they were for just a moment. After a couple of seconds, he gave up the battle and kissed her again.

"Wow. I didn't know that Reporter Girl could kiss like that" They heard Colin say.

"Me neither. And I dated her for almost four years, off and on." Jake replied. They both looked at Logan, to see if he had something to say. Colin and Finn were waiting for some acid remark, but Logan said nothing. He just went to the bar for a refill. A much needed refill.

He could still feel his friends' eyes on him. He knew he shouldn't have said anything; he didn't want Rory to think he was jealous, and he didn't want to do anything to screw up the semi-friendship they had now. Tristan just rubbed him the wrong way. He looked at the couple, and saw that Tristan wasn't over kissing her just yet. _Damn, I guess I really deserved it. _He thought.

"Well, it looks like I was worried for nothing. Look at those two going at it." Juliet said. Jake snaked her arms around her, and kissed her lightly.

"I told you so, babe. You had nothing to worry about. Me and Rory, we were never serious. And she really loves Tristan. Now do you believe me? Will you stop freaking out?" Jake asked her.

"I will. I was worried she would be mad at me. I like Rory, always liked her. I'm happy that she's your friend, because now I get to be her friend too, again." Juliet said. "I'm glad that I don't have to stop seeing you too. I like seeing you."

Jake smiled, and kissed her again. "Well, I like seeing you too."

"Oh. How cute. Let's leave those two love birds alone, mate." Finn said, and dragged Colin along. He saw that Rory and Tristan were still in the middle of their moment, and thought that Jake was right, she really was in love with DuGrey. He then looked at Logan. He and Colin had a standing bet, but for the first time in his life, he was hoping to lose it. He wished that his friend was as over her as he says he is.

"So, do you want to tell me what that was all about?" Rory asked Tristan. When he didn't immediately answered, she pressed. "Come on, Tristan. Not that I'm complaining. I love it when you kiss me like that, but usually, when you do it outside of our bedroom, it's not really a good omen. So, what happened?"

When Tristan just glared at Logan's direction, Rory got it. "Ah. Logan happened. Damn it. I owe my mom five bucks."

"Your mom? What was the bet?" Tristan asked, already knowing the answer because Rory and Lorelai never bet on normal things.

"Well. Mom said that Logan would do something to piss you off before midnight. I said that you'd survive until at least two in the morning. So, what did he say?"

"Nothing worth repeating, Mary. Nothing at all." Tristan smirked.

"Well, in that case, you, mister, owe me five bucks. I won't pay off a bet when I don't have all the information." She joked.

"Well, that's okay, because Justin owes me ten bucks" Tristan said. "He said that Jake would say something that would put me into a fighting mood, and I like him just fine."

"Well, I always knew you would like him. Jake is a really nice guy."

"He kind of reminds me of Justin. I think he was the first guy, besides Justin I mean, who had the guts to bait me, knowing that I'm trained in combat arts. Maybe that is why I liked him. Hell, he'd fit right in, with the guys back home. None of them are really afraid of messing with me, even though I'm their superior officer."

"Well, I know that Justin is not afraid of you at all, because he knows you really well. But Jake? He's just insane. Maybe that's why he got along so well with mom, and those guys.

She was quiet for a moment, and then she continued, in a much serious tone. "I can't believe sometimes that he's okay with being my friend, you know. What I did to him, it wasn't really fair. I knew he had feelings for me, like, real feelings, when we were together, but he always said he was okay with it not being serious, between us. I'm glad that he's with Juliet now. She seems to like him, for real."

Tristan nodded, knowing that this was important to Rory. He was even a bit surprised at how little it bothered him to talk about Jake, now that he knew him. He smiled thinking about Jake and Juliet.

"I liked her. I liked Finn too. Did you know that his brother is in the Navy? I think that I know his Commanding Officer. If I'm not mistaken, his unit helped us in a tough spot in Afghanistan."

"I had no idea. Those guys rarely talk about their family." Rory said, surprised.

"With parents like mine, I can really understand why they don't. So, what do you say we move this party back to our bedroom." Tristan said, thinking that he had enough of this party. "We can invite Jake to our lunch with your mother tomorrow. He can even bring Juliet. I know that you miss having him around."

"I'll tell Jake and Mom." She said, smiling, and let go of Tristan to look for Jake. She kissed him, a quick peck on the cheek, and told him, before leaving. "Thank you, for understanding."

Tristan stood there for a second, watching her. For the second time that night, he went rigid when he felt Logan beside him. He took a deep breath, trying to keep his temper in check, but after a second, he unclenched his hands and decided that he was not worth it.

"I guess I deserved that." Logan said, in a sort of apology. When Tristan remained silent, he continued. "I hope you'll make her happy. Don't make the same mistakes that I did."

"Don't worry." Tristan said. "I won't."

They just stood there, not talking, waiting for Rory and Jake to finish saying goodbye. He smiled when she looked at him, to tell her that he was all right. She said good-bye to the other guys, and walked towards them.

She hugged Logan, said something to him that Tristan didn't hear, as much as he tried. Logan just laughed it out. He was happy for Rory. It wasn't easy for him to see her with Tristan. With Jake, he knew from the beginning that there was nothing there. She never did love Jake, as more than a friend anyway. But Tristan? He knew now that she had really moved on, that he lost his chance. Not that he really believed that he had a second one, or that he wanted one. He was over her. I guess he just liked the possibility of a chance.


	28. Chapter 28

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory!**

* * *

Rory took Tristan hand and they walked out of Jake's apartment. They were walking quietly, as they were looking for a cab. They were both still thinking about the party, and enjoying each other company. Tristan thought about how Rory whispered something to Logan, when they were saying their goodbyes. He didn't want to ask what she told him, but he was curious. He was going to wait until they were home to bring it up, but the silence between them, albeit not uncomfortable, only made him obsess about it even more. He decided then that he ran out of patience for the day. He stopped, right in the middle of the block, and leaned on a wall.

"So, what did you say to him?" He asked her.

"Well, honey" Rory said, seductively. She closed the distance between them, put her hand on his chest and looked right into his eyes. "I'll tell you mine when you tell me yours..." She said, and kissed him lightly on the lips, teasing him.

She knew that something was bothering him, since he left the party, but her mind was elsewhere. She was still thinking about the way he kissed her, at the party. She had drank a little bit, not a lot, but it was enough to cause some unexpected tingling when she thought about that kiss, and feel her body heat up again. It was almost like her body had a mind of its own.

"Maybe, this time, I'll kiss it out of you" She whispered, wanting to best him at his own game. She felt his heartbeat raising when she said it, and thought that she had a chance. But when she tried to kiss him again, he grabbed her by her arms, spinning them around.

"You don't want to play this game with me, Mary." He told her, smirking. _This is going to be fun_, he thought. With two strides, he pushed her into the wall on the side of the building, following her with his body and shielding her from the street view.

He didn't immediately raise her arms over her head this time, he just held them against the wall. He decided to start by kissing her neck, because he knew how much she liked it. He found just the right spot and smirked when he heard her sharp in-breath taking.

"Because me, I've got years of practice. It's one of my best skills..." He continued, raising one of her arms slowly, careful not to hurt her. He could feel her body tensing, humming. "And, I was trained to get information out of people." He raised her other arm, taking both wrists in one hand. "You should know that I always get what I want..."

Rory squirmed under his hold, but it only made him press himself into her even more. She tried to stifle a moan, but it was getting too hard to think, he was driving her insane, and he wasn't even touching her yet. As if he could hear her thoughts, he used his free arm to let his hand roam all over her body. He kissed her once, deeply, but it was over too quickly for the state she was in. "You should just tell me." He whisper in her ear, and she shivered. She was losing it.

She could feel the waves of pleasure he was bringing upon her. When he started placing wet kisses and small bites in her neck, while slowly circling her navel with one hand at the same time, she was sure she would come then and there. Her breathing was coming in short spasms, and she was biting her lip trying not to moan out loud.

When Tristan saw that, he delivered the final blow. "I can do that all..." he sneaked his hand inside the waistband of her jeans, "night..." he reach her panties "long..." he was touching her softly now, still whispering in her ear.

She moaned his name like a prayer. She was so close she was sure she would take the fall any second now, but Tristan was not over torturing her yet. "And I'll watch you come again, and again, and again." That was it. She was left undone by his words and this touch, and was already starting to tremble. "You just have to tell me." He finished, wickedly proud of himself and his accomplishments.

"I thanked him" Rory told him. Or more precisely, moaned it. She didn't even know how she was able to put the words together to speak. She thought that she was going to explode if he didn't continue. She was almost there, he just needed to move his damn fingers.

"Thanked him for what?" Tristan asked, through clenched teeth. She was so hot, so wet, that he was almost losing his self-control and giving her what she wanted. What they both wanted. _Not yet_, he thought. _Just hold on for a second. Half a second. You're almost there, DuGrey._ "For what, Rory?" He asked again, tightening his hold on her arms.

"For making you lose your patience, and kissing me like that."

A wave of pleasure washed over him at the sound of her words. He shuddered, and when he found his voice again, he told her with a growl, "See how easy that was?"

When she moaned again, at the roughness of his voice, he decided to reward her, and started moving his fingers. Rory exploded almost immediately. Loudly. Tristan kissed her, trying to muffle her cries of pleasure. It took him all that he had and a little more not to lose his self-control completely too.

A couple of minutes later, when Rory's breathing returned to normal and she could think clearly again, she noticed that he was still holding her to the wall. Thank God, because her legs felt like jelly, and she would surely fall down without his support. She kissed him, hard, on the lips, and tried to wiggle her arms free. He immediately released his hold on her. "I can't believe you did that." She said, finding her voice, when she realized where they were.

"I warned you, babe. You don't want to play that kind of game with me. I'll always win." He smirked. He was arrogantly pleased with himself. He loved the power that he had over her, the way she surrendered to him, every time. He may have had his share of woman in his life, but none of them responded to his touch like Rory did.

"You still haven't told me what Logan did." Rory said, remembering what started it. She was still a little out of breath.

"He was just testing me. Jake told me he'd do that, so I was kind of expecting it."

"Testing you? How?" She asked.

"He asked me if it bothered me, knowing that you two had a past. I said it surprised me, at first, because I knew that you used to hate guys like him in high school. Guys like me. He told me you liked him just fine. I didn't want to let it get to me, but the way he said it... I could shoot him just for that. But I decided to kiss you instead." He answered truthfully.

"So you started it!" Rory said, amused. "You tried to bait him, telling him that I used to hate guys like him. And, for he record, I did hate him, at the beginning."

"No, I was telling the truth. It did surprise me. But the way he said it, that you _liked _him just fine... he's lucky I didn't break his nose." He said, starting to get angry again just thinking about it. _Damn. I guess I am kind of jealous. _He thought, still not entirely convinced that Justin was right.

"I'm glad you decided to kiss me, instead." She answered. She was still leaning against the wall, with her eyes closed, and looking thoroughly ravished.

"Yeah?" He said, and took a step closer to her. If he wasn't careful, they would start it all over again. Where was his steel discipline when he needed it...

"I like it when you kiss me like that. Nobody ever kissed me like that before." She whispered.

Tristan growled and held her tightly to him one more time. He was too close to losing control. He was master of this game, but it amazed him that she had no idea what she could do to him, just by saying that. "We should get that damn cab, before I decide to have you right here, against the wall, Mary. You drive me crazy."


	29. Chapter 29

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

Of course they were late for lunch, they had been up most of the night, falling asleep in the first hours of the morning. Jake took one look at them across the table and whispered something to Juliet, they both started grinning like Cheshire cats. Lorelai looked from one couple to the other, waited until they were all seated, and decided to have some fun.

"Long night?" She asked her daughter. When Rory just blushed and refused to answer, Lorelai continued: "Oh, dirty!"

Jake and Tristan burst into laughter, which made Rory blush even more.

"Wow, Lorelai, I really missed you! Your timing is amazing." Jake said, calming down. He had already introduced Juliet to Lorelai, before Rory and Tristan arrived. He was happy that Rory had invited them to lunch because he missed her, a lot. He was also glad that he and Tristan were getting along. He seemed like a nice guy, and it was obvious how much he loved Rory, and how suited for each other they were.

They talked a lot during lunch. Jake and Juliet were especially curious about North Carolina since neither of them had been there. Rory talked about the paper, her articles, and how well she was doing, and Tristan answered a lot of questions about life in the army. Lorelai just sat there watching them talk. Sure, she missed her daughter a lot, but she was happy to see Rory so happy. She always knew that Rory was meant for more than Stars Hollows. Well, at least she wasn't at the other side of the country, or all over the country. North Carolina was close enough.

They were in the middle of their lunch when Rory's phone rang. She looked at the caller id, saw that it was Finn and didn't answer it, thinking she could talk to him later. When he called her again, almost immediately, she got a little bit worried, and excused herself to answer the phone.

"Hey Finn. Can I call you back? I'm having lunch with mom and-" She started, but he cut her off.

"I'm sorry, Rory. This is really important. Is Tristan there with you?" Finn said, frantically.

"Uh. Yes. He's here. Is everything ok, Finn?" She asked, already dreading the answer. Whatever was happening must be important because it was the first time that he had called her by her given name.

"No. Not really. Can you put him on the phone?"

Rory didn't even answer him. She was already coming back to the table, and handed Tristan the phone. Everybody picked up the look on her face, and stayed silent. "It's Finn" she said, as Tristan was getting up to answer it.

"Is everything ok, Rory?" Juliet asked. She was the closest to Finn, on this little group.

"I don't know. I've never seen him this worried about anything. He called me Rory." She said, and the four of them looked in Tristan's direction, trying to catch was he was saying. When he felt all eyes on him, he turned his back to them, and took a couple of steps further away from the table. He didn't want them to see his reaction.

"Hey Finn. What can I do for you, man?" Tristan asked on the phone.

"My brother didn't come back from his last mission." Finn said, right to the point. "He was supposed to come home yesterday, but he never made it. They aren't telling my parents anything, other than that they lost all communication with his team."

"Finn. Calm down and listen to me. Are you still in Stanford?" Tristan said, his tone all business now.

"No. I'm at my place, in New York." he said.

"Okay. Here's what you are going to do. You're going to give me your address, and I'll be there in about two hours, okay? Just stay calm. Well figure it out. I'll send one of my guys over, too." Tristan answered, scribbled down the address and hung up the phone. A second later, he called Justin.

"Rory? Is everything okay, doll?" He heard Justin's voice on the phone. He didn't even think about switching phones before calling him. He was in auto-pilot now.

"It's me. We've got a problem. How soon can you fly to New York?" He asked, already putting Justin on his guard.

"Uh. I can take the next available flight and be there in two hours maximum. Why? What's up?"

"Remember the UNAMA mission that helped us back in Afghanistan? Part of their unit lost all communication with their base in Australia." He said

"Fuck. How did you know that? What happened?" Justin asked, already on the move. This was serious. He was second-in-command after Tristan, and it was his responsibility to get their team ready to deploy.

"Rory's friend has a brother in the Navy. He was serving under Commander Smith, I think. He was supposed to come home yesterday."

"I'm on it." Justin said. "Are you in New York right now?"

"No, I'm driving there. We should be arriving together. I'm going to text you the address." Tristan said. "Call Dylan in. Tell him to start checking the facts, and report it directly to Custer. If we get to it early enough, there should be no problem. I'll see you in two hours, Lieutenant."

"Yes, Sir." Justin answered, and hung up.

Tristan sighed, walked back to the table and didn't even bother to sit down. "I need a car. I have to be in New York in two hour, tops." He said.

"What happened?" Rory asked. When Tristan just shook his head, she knew it was serious.

"I can fly you there. You're going to Finn's apartment?" Juliet asked, getting anxious now. When Tristan didn't answer her, she insisted. "I can get you there in 20 minutes. 30 minutes at the most. My father has a helicopter, all ready to go. And Finn's apartment has a private helipad."

"Okay. Let's go, then." He said.

"I'm going with you." Rory said, getting up too.

"No, you're not. You're staying right here, and you'll be back in Durham tomorrow, as planned. You know I can't talk to you about it." Tristan said. He looked at Lorelai, and continued. "I'm sorry. We'll reschedule lunch. I have to go."

"If Juliet is coming with you, I'm coming too." Rory said, stubbornly.

"Juliet is not coming with me. She's not even getting off that helicopter. We've been through this before. I need you to do what I'm asking you this time." Tristan said calmly, for her sake.

"Okay. Okay. Call me when you land?" She said, and kissed him good-bye. She didn't let go of him until he said he'd try to.

"Juliet. Let's go." He said, and they were gone.

As soon as Tristan and Juliet disappeared, Rory picked up her phone and called Finn.

"Hey Finn. It's me. What is going on?" Rory asked, pacing around the table.

"It's about Cameron, Rory." He said, but didn't expand on it.

"What happened Finn?" She stopped, and put her hand on the back of her chair for support. She was not stupid, and she knew what her boyfriend did for a living, but she had to ask anyway. She had to be sure.

"I'm not supposed to talk about it, but I didn't know who else to call." He told her, avoiding her question.

"Oh my God." Rory said, and closed her eyes, increasing the grip on the chair. Jake and Lorelai were listening to her side of the conversation with eyes wide open. "He's already on his way to New York, Finn. Juliet was going to fly him there. Just, hang in there." She didn't know what to say.

"Thanks, kitten. I have to go." Finn said, and hung up the phone.

Rory looked up and said: "It's his brother. He's in the Navy." She explained, mostly to her mother. "He was supposed to come back from a mission yesterday. I don't think he made it home."

"Oh my God. What happened?" Lorelai said.

"I don't know." She looked at her phone, and saw that Tristan had used it to call Justin. The wheels in her head were already at full speed. "Tristan told me he knew Finn's brother superior officer. He... He said something about this australian mission helping them in a tough spot on his first tour in Afghanistan." She said, trying to put the pieces together.

"That first tour... that's when he was injured, I'm almost sure of it. I think, I think that Commander Smith is the officer who saved his life. So this is very, very personal to them." She continued, thinking out-loud, trying to recall all she had read about him, while doing her research, and all he told her about his past.

"Oh God, he must have called it in." She said, sitting down before her legs gave in. "He called Justin, and texted him Finn's address. He called it in!"

"If he texted Justin the address, he must have ordered him to come to New York too. Isn't he Captain of a specialized Rescue Team?" Jake asked, now knowing where Rory's mind was going. "Oh my God..."

"What? What?" Lorelai asked, not following it. Rory was unable to answer, she just looked away with tears in her eyes.

"My best guess is that Tristan's next mission will send him to Afghanistan. If Finn's brother is being held hostage..." Jake didn't finish.

"What do I do? What can I do?" Rory was thinking out loud.

"I don't think that there's anything you can do, honey."Lorelai said. "You'll have to do what he told you, you have to be back at work tomorrow."

"Mom, if it's okay with you, I think I'll change my tickets and catch the first flight home. At least there I'm closer to the base, it will be easier to get information. I can't just sit here." She said. She was already wondering if she would ever see Tristan again. Why, why did she had to fall in love with a soldier.

Meanwhile, Tristan and Juliet were on their way to her family hangar. Tristan was texting back and forth, trying to get his team into action. He knew he couldn't say anything to Juliet, but he couldn't just ignore her too. Hell, he barely knew her.

"I'm sorry" He told her. "I know that you want answers, that you're worried. I just..."

"I get it. You can't talk about it. Were you serious, back there, when you told Rory that I'm not even getting off the helicopter?" Juliet asked him.

"I was being serious. I'm calling this in, my men will be at Finn's apartment in two hours tops. You'll just be in the way, Juliet. I'm really sorry, but we'll handle it. It's my job to handle this kind of situation" He told her softly, trying to put her at ease.

"It's about his brother, isn't it?" She asked.

"Yes. But I really can't talk about it, Juliet. Not until I know what's going on." he said.

"That's ok. I'll stop asking questions." She told him. They were both silent the rest of the trip. True to his word, Tristan instructed the pilot to fly Juliet back straight away.

Finn was waiting for him at the helipad. "I'll have to remember to thank Juliet for flying you in." Finn said, opening the door to the building and pressing his personal code to open the elevator's door.

Tristan narrowed his eyes, thinking how the hell did he know that Juliet flew him in... Son of a... "Rory called you, didn't she?"

"Yeah, not five minutes after you hung up, actually." Finn told him. "I didn't tell her much. I know that we're not supposed to be talking about it."

"You didn't need to. I'm sure you told her enough to figure it all out. Damn it."

"What do you mean?" Finn asked, confused. They walked out of the elevator and into his apartment.

"The only thing she needs to know is that this is about your brother. That's all the information she needs to figure it all out. She knows I'm on the Rescue Team, she knows about Commander Smith saving my life, she'll know its personal to my team. She'll see that I used her phone to call Justin, and she'll figure out that I already called my team in. Hell, you didn't even need to tell her that he didn't make it home..."

"Well, she is Reporter Girl after all..." Finn said.

"Damn it. I didn't want her knowing that we're going after your brother just yet." He said, sitting down at the table. He was checking his phone to see if he missed any messages.

"You're going in after him?" Finn asked him, astonished. "I figured you'd ask around, get some information. That's all."

"Finn, if your brother was serving under Commander Smith a couple of years ago, then he probably helped saving our asses back then. We owe them. Even if it weren't my job to do that, and it is, we owe them." He said, trying to show him that they were personally invested in this mission.

"If their base is saying that they lost all communication with the team, chances are, they are being held hostage. As soon as our intelligence confirms it, we're going in, and we're going to bring them back. It's the least we could do. Don't worry about it."

"What if they're not?" Finn asked. He couldn't make himself say it.

"He's not dead Morgan. If they were dead, we would already know it. We checked it out with their base, their last contact was two days ago. They are still alive. If they're being held somewhere, our intelligence is going to pick it up. Then we can move."

"Are you sure?"

"As sure as possible, man." He looked at his clock. Justin would be arriving soon.


	30. Chapter 30

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

As soon as Justin arrived at Finn's apartment, they started to work out the details of the mission. Later that afternoon, they received the intelligence information they were waiting for and were getting ready to go into action. A local interpreter had picked up a conversation about two hostages, who were attacked on their way to the airport, being held in a remote location. One of them was a member of the Australian Navy.

"The Australian Navy member must be Lieutenant Morgan, but who is the other hostage?" Justin asked.

"We don't know yet." Tristan responded. "It could be a soldier, or a civilian. It doesn't really matter though. The good thing is that they are together. It makes our job easier."

They were currently occupying Finn's home office. Tristan and Justin were at the table, sitting side by side, pouring over notes and maps, and Finn was sitting in an armchair, trying to stay out of their way. Whatever information was passed on from his parents, he would pass directly to Tristan.

Tristan had begun to open his mouth to say something to Finn when his phone rang again. He looked at the caller ID, saw that it was Lieutenant Colonel Custer, and walked into the small kitchen to take the call

"Captain DuGrey." He answered formally. "Yes, Sir. Thank you, Sir. We're on our way." he said, and hung up.

He reentered the room and looked at Justin. "We've got a location. One of our snipers spotted them, confirming the intelligence information. We're on. Wheel's up in five."

Finn looked at them with wide eyes. "Is he all right? I mean, he's alive, right?" He asked. When the two soldiers looked at one another and said nothing, Finn tried again.

"I know, I know. I'm not supposed to ask questions. I just... I need to know that he's still alive. I won't even tell my parents." He said.

Justin looked at Tristan, who simply nodded. "He's alive, Morgan. And we'll bring him back in one piece." Justin said. "We've got to get going. Are we still flying directly from JFK to Fort Drum?" He asked Tristan.

"Yeah." Tristan answered. "We're meeting the rest of the team there. The orders are in, and we should be in Kabul by morning." He then turned to Finn and said.

Tristan turned to Finn. "Do not try to call us. Do not, under any circumstance, call Rory. I don't know if I'll be able to contact her until I get back and I don't want her to worry. I'll do my best to keep you in the loop, but I need you to wait for information to get to you. I'll have one of my boys call you as soon as we get eyes on him. We'll get him stateside, and you'll be the first to know when he's ready to receive visitors. Do you understand me?"

"Yeah. Okay. Sure." Finn answered awkwardly. No one ever spoke to him like that, not even during business.

"You're supposed to say 'Yes, Sir.' man." Justin joked, more than used to it. Captain DuGrey could render any man speechless only by addressing him, regardless of the subject. He didn't even need to be wearing the uniform.

"Oh. Okay then. Yes, Sir." Finn answered, while walking them to the door. Justin's remark would have been funny, had they not been discussing his brother's rescue.

On the way to the airport, Tristan called Rory but it went straight to her voicemail. He hung up without leaving a message, and then called Lorelai, who told him that Rory took an early flight and should be arriving at Raleigh-Durham Airport any minute now. Tristan called Ryan and ask him to pick Rory up at the airport, and to call him as soon as she was inside the car.

The flight to Fort Drum ended almost as soon as it began. Tristan met his team at the gate, and passed all the information that he and Justin had compiled so far. This wasn't the first time his team had taken on a mission with so little time to prepare, so they were used to it. They would receive a full briefing on the flight to Kabul.

Just as Tristan saw Custer approaching them, he felt his phone vibrating. He looked at the caller ID and saw that it was Ryan. He mouthed to Justin to go ahead with Dylan and Kent, and motioned to Aaron to wait up, while he answered the phone.

"Hey Ryan, are you with Rory right now?" he asked, while he gave Aaron part of his equipment.

"Yes, Captain. She's right here. Let me put her on the phone." Ryan answered, and passed the phone to Rory.

"Hey, babe. Are you still in New York? How's Finn? Why did you send Ryan to pick me up? What's going on?" Rory fired question after question.

"Rory, I need you to listen to me for a minute, okay? I'm at Fort Drum right now, and I can't talk much on the phone. Colonel Custer is waiting to talk to me. We're flying out on a mission in a few hours, I'm sure you already figured it out. I'll try to keep Ryan posted, so he can tell you all the information we can pass on. I've got to go. I love you." he said, seriously.

"I love you too. Please be careful." Rory said.

"I will. Now, let me talk to Ryan again." he said and heard her giving Ryan back his phone.

She wanted to tell him a lot more, but she knew that there wasn't time. He needed to go, and she was not supposed to know where he was flying or what he was going to do. She listened to the "Yes, Sir. Right away, Sir. I'll take care of her, Sir," and tried to keep both her tears and her fears, at bay.

She was proud of the work Tristan did, and she knew that he was one of the best and that this was going to happen sooner or later. But knowing all of that didn't make it any easier on her. No amount of time could prepare her for the fact that Tristan leaving on a mission in the Middle East.

"He's flying to Kabul, isn't he? He's going after Finn's brother, right? Do they have a location yet?" She asked Ryan, after he hung up. She was worried about them. They were heading into dangerous territory, where a lot of missions had gone wrong and too many soldiers had been lost. Hell, she had written a lot of the articles discussing how dangerous the area was.

Ryan looked at her with regret. "Rory, you know I can't answer that. I'm not allowed to talk about it, and you're not supposed to know about it."

"Just... Just answer yes or no, Ryan. I already put most of it together. You won't be telling me anything new." Rory asked again, close to tears now.

"Rory-" Ryan tried to deny her request as gently as possible. He was about to put his arm on her shoulder, to offer some comfort, but she took a step back, efficiently evading him.

"Please, I need to _know_ where he's going, so I can be sure he's going to come back in one piece." She said. It was not the most logical thought, but that's how her head chose to deal with this situation. She just... she needed the whole picture, so she could formulate a plan on how to deal with it. And she couldn't plan anything if she didn't have all the information.

"I can't. I'm sorry, I can't" Ryan told her again. She was openly crying now, and he didn't know what to do, how to comfort her. It was his first experience taking care of someone whose partner was being deployed. He was always the one going, not the one left behind. But the sight of Rory crying tore at his heart. He just couldn't do it. He pulled her to him, and held her tightly, while she cried all over his uniform.

He closed his eyes, and tried to pretend that it wasn't Captain DuGrey's girl that he was holding in his arms. He had to get away from her. Like, right now. But he couldn't. After a couple of minutes, she regained some of her control, and Ryan released her. She looked up at him, drying her eyes, and pleaded once more.

"You know I'd tell you, if I could. But I'm not supposed to..." Ryan made the mistake of meeting her gaze and gave up. "Yes. You're right. They're going after Lt. Morgan, in Afghanistan." He sighed. How can someone resist her blue eyes, clouded with tears. "They already have a location and a team in action. Their flight should leave in a couple of hours. And I'm a dead man if Tristan discovers that I told you that."

"Don't worry, you didn't tell me anything that I didn't already know, Ryan. I'm sure Tristan knows that too." Rory said quietly. She was immensely relieved, knowing that they at least had enough information to go on. When she noticed that they standing in front of her house for some time now, she asked.

"Can you do me a favor? Can you stay with me tonight? I don't want to be alone when that phone rings tomorrow. If it rings at all..."

"Sure, Rory. I can stay on the couch. I'd be glad to." He answered warily. This was not good. He was in way too deep. And he didn't have the discipline to say no to her.


	31. Chapter 31

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter. Sorry for the delay, but hey, this chapter is a long one^^**

* * *

"You wished you were there with them, right?" Rory asked Ryan the next morning. They were sitting in her living room, watching the news, and drinking coffee. She had barely slept, thinking over and over the different scenarios in her head. She had a feeling that Ryan hadn't slept well either.

"Yeah. I do. It's going to take some time to adjust to this new PR position. All I wanted my whole life was to be a soldier. To help people out and to fight for my country." Ryan answered quietly. He looked away, but Rory could still sense the undertones of hurt in his voice.

"Well, you're still doing that. You're still a sergeant, Ryan." Rory said, covering his hand with her own. "You just have different duties now."

"I guess you're right. Like I, uh, like I said, I'll just have to adjust." he said, his eyes now fixed on their hands. He felt like he couldn't breathe properly.

"I've gotta go to work. I can't concentrate on anything, but I still have to go." Rory said, releasing his hand, putting her cup down and getting up. She could feel that Ryan was uncomfortable with something, but she quickly dismissed it. She assumed that he was still trying to cope with his accident, and the fact that he was not on active duty anymore.

"I. uh... I promise I'll call you as soon as I hear anything." He said, still not looking her in the eyes. He needed to go. Just get up and go.

"Thanks, Ryan. For staying here, I mean." She said, trying to change the subject, when she saw that Ryan was still standing in her living room, with the most uncomfortable look in his face.

"Come on, I'll walk with you to the newspaper's office." He said, forcing himself to move. He needed to get out. Now. Before he did or said something stupid.

They walked slowly, neither of them saying anything. When they reached the building, Ryan told her to call him if she wanted some company for lunch, but really didn't expect her to do it. Then he took a cab to the base.

He went about his day, doing his duties, and keeping his ears open in case there was some news. It was strange being there alone and knowing that his best friends were on a mission in dangerous territory. He did some deskwork, and every couple of hours he'd look at his phone, willing it to ring. He didn't hear anything until almost six in the evening. He was almost finished working, and was thinking about whether or not he should go over to Rory's when he heard his name being called.

"Sgt. Green, do you have a moment, sir?" One of the Privates asked him. "Lt. Colonel Custer is looking for you."

"Thanks Brian, I'm on my way." He told the soldier. He hoped it was good news. He looked at his clock and tried to estimate how long the team had been in Kabul, and if enough time had passed for the mission to have ended well. Damn, he hated to be the one left behind.

When he reached Custer's office, he saw that the door was open, but before he could knock or announce himself, Custer looked up from his desk and motioned him inside.

"Good afternoon, Sgt. Green. I have some information for you. I just got a call from Lt. Meyer. They were able to reach the location and secure the house where two members of the Australian Navy were being held." He said, and taking in the expectant look on Ryan's face, he hastily added. "No casualties, no injuries. They are expected to be back by tomorrow afternoon."

"That's great news, Sir." Ryan dutifully answered. He waited for the Lt. Colonel to continue.

"Our office is prepared to give a statement by tomorrow morning. I take it you're still working with that reporter from the Herald-Sun, am I right? He asked.

"Yes, Sir. I am working with Miss Gilmore." Ryan said. "I can brief her first thing in the morning, Sir."

"All right, Sergeant. That would be all. I can walk you out." Custer said. "So, Sergeant, how are you liking your new position?"

"I like it, Sir. It's not the same, and I know I will need some time to adjust not being sent on these missions, but at least this way I can still serve the team." He answered.

"It's good to hear, Sergeant. You have some good friends here. Lt. Meyer was adamant that this information was passed on to you right away. By Captain DuGrey's orders, I'll assume"

"Thank you, Sir. Good-night, Sir." Ryan said.

The minute he walked out of the base, he called Rory. He could brief her officially tomorrow, but she would sleep better today knowing that it was over. When she didn't answer right away, he decided to stop by her house. It wasn't his brightest idea, but he had ignored it for too long, he could ignore it for a while more.

He found her on the phone with Jake. She opened the door, phone in hand, and motioned him inside. He sat down and listened to her side of the conversation. He tried to get her attention a couple of times, but she was walking back and forth, not really paying any attention to him. She looked adorable.

"No Jake. I don't need you to fly over. I'm okay." She said on the phone and rolled her eyes. "No, I'm not alone. Ryan is here. Yes, Ryan. No. No Jake." She continued. When she turned around again, she saw that Ryan was smiling, and trying to get her attention, but his face didn't give away anything. "Jake. JAKE. Just give me a second. My phone is beeping" She said, and put him on hold.

"They've got him. I just received the clearing to brief you. They were able to secure the house and get the two soldiers out with no trouble. They are expected to be back home tomorrow evening at the latest." Ryan said, his voice just above a whisper.

"Oh thank god." Rory said, feeling relief wash over her. "So, they're all okay? I don't have to worry any longer?" She asked, her eyes getting misty again.

"They're okay. It was neat and clean. Those guys, they are the best there is. Your friend was lucky to be able to contact Captain DuGrey right away." He had to force himself to look away from her eyes, otherwise he'd give in to his urge to dry her tears. So, he looked at the phone in her hand, and asked. "Don't you need to get back to your friend?"

"Oh. Right." she said, "Jake? I have to go. I need to take this call." She lied. "No, they didn't tell me anything yet. It was just their PR office calling me to set up a meeting for tomorrow morning." She listened for a couple of seconds, and continued. "I don't know. I'll ask them. Just give me a second, and I'll call you back." She said and hung up.

"Do you know if it's all right to tell them that it's over? They are all worried, and Juliet will most definitely call Finn tonight, to see how he's doing. Do you think they have already informed the family?" She asked Ryan.

"They must have informed the family, if they are willing to go public with this Rescue Mission tomorrow morning. It's going to be in the paper tomorrow or the day after, isn't it?."

"Well. I'm going to text Jake then to say that it's over, and that they are on their way back. If I call him, he'll ask a thousand questions more, and I hate lying to him."

"Well, you know how pestering those reporters usually are..." He joked lightly. _Yep. There it was. That smile that could make a man forget to __breathe__. _He thought. He knew he should have tried calling her, instead of coming here

"Hey! I'm offended. I don't pester. People like to talk to me. Apparently, I'm irresistible!" She told him, joking around, and started texting Jake. She didn't hear Ryan's response to her statement, as well as the look in his eyes.

"I'll say..." Ryan said to himself. _Damn. I am in trouble. _He thought. How could he be so stupid...

Five minutes after she had texted Jake, Finn called her. She excused herself once more, and went into the kitchen to answer the phone.

**"**Hey Kitten. I just heard. Tristan had a Lt. Davis call me with the news. They've got him. He's all right, just dehydrated. They had him checked out by an army doctor, who already started an IV, and they think he'll be just fine. He doesn't even need to spend the night at the hospital or anything" He told her. "I can't thank you enough, doll."

"I didn't do anything, Finn. This was all Tristan." She said. She was so relieved she could cry. "Is he going directly to Sydney? Or they are flying him to New York?" She asked.

"New York. They have a layover here, and someone will accompany him to my apartment, but the rest of them will go directly to North Carolina. Lt. Davis said that my brother would be home by tomorrow evening. He's expected to fly back to Australia on Friday, he got an extended leave."

"That's good Finn. I'm glad he's' all right."

"Thanks to that boyfriend of yours. When I called you and asked to talk to Tristan, I figured he could ask around, get some information. I didn't know he'd go after my brother himself. He's a great guy Kitten. I'm happy for you. If you ever need someone to kick his ass, you can call me." He said, lightly. "Well, Love. I don't know about you, but I am going to find some alcohol and some willing woman and celebrate. Thank you, again. Bye doll."

**"**Bye Finn."

She returned to the living room and sat down next to Ryan. She sighed and rested her head on his shoulder. She was so exhausted that she didn't even noticed how uncomfortable Ryan was feeling because of her actions.

"So. That was Finn. He told me that Tristan had Dylan call him to give him the news. His brother is going to be home by tomorrow evening, and he got an extended leave." She said, with her eyes closed and sighed again.

"Uh. That's good to know." Ryan said. After a moment, when he was about to ask her something, he noticed that she had fallen asleep. He wanted to carry her to her bedroom, so she could have a good night's sleep, but he knew he hadn't regained all his strength still. He wasn't sure that he would be able to carry her all the way without dropping her on the floor. But he didn't want to wake her up, the poor thing was exhausted. He didn't know what to do, so he stayed there for almost half an hour. Until his phone rang again. He should know better than to answer it, but he did it anyway. He looked at the caller ID, took a deep breath to calm down and decided to improvise.

"Hey Justin, how are you, man?" He whispered.

"Why are you whispering, Ryan? Where are you?" Justin answered without missing a beat.

"Uhh. I'm at Rory's" He was so uncomfortable, that he was sure Justin would pick it up. If he didn't already.

And he obviously did. Justin frowned, trying to understand what the hell was going on. "Why are you still whispering? If she's asleep, just go into another room."

"I can't." He answered, he couldn't figure out how to explain it, in a way that it wasn't so damn obvious what was going on. Why couldn't Dylan have called. Why did it have to be Justin. Nothing passed unnoticed by Justin.

"Ryan..." Justin groaned, in a warning tone. He had seen the signs, but he didn't want to believe it. No, Ryan wouldn't be that stupid.

"She fell asleep. I didn't do anything. I swear. One minute I was sitting on her couch, waiting for her to finish her call, and then she just sat by my side, put her head on my shoulder, and before I could blink, she was asleep. I can't carry her, man. And I don't want to wake her up, she's exhausted. " He answered a little too quickly.

Justin was silent for a couple of seconds. Then, he stood up, and walked as far as possible from Tristan. _Great__, this is just what I need __right now. _He thought. He pressed his thumb and index finger on the bridge of his nose, closed his eyes, and asked:

"How long?"

"How long what, Justin?" Ryan asked, trying to buy some time to come up with a reasonable answer. He was a dead man. He was a dead man, and he knew it.

"Does Tristan know?" He asked, pointedly. He wasn't joking.

"Does Tristan know what?"

"Does Tristan know that you've got a crush on his girlfriend."

"I... what the hell are you talking about, Justin?" Ryan answered, flustered. Damn. He was busted. He did have a crush on Rory. He figured it started around the time of his interview, but he wasn't really sure. It wasn't that clear to him until the day that Tristan was shot and he drove Rory home. That's when he knew it for sure. He thought that he was doing a good job of hiding it, until today. Damn it, why did he always have to be the one to look after her?

"I am talking about you having a crush on Rory, Ryan." Justin said, exasperated. "So, does he know?"

"I... I don't think so." He answered quietly. He could never lie to Justin anyway,or to Tristan for that matter.

"You should tell him." Justin said, leaving no room for arguments.

"Are you crazy? He's going to kill me!" Ryan said a little bit louder. He didn't notice that Rory was starting to stir. Or that she decided to pretend she was still sleeping, so she could continue to hear what was going on. Ryan was definitely uncomfortable around her, and she was damned if she wasn't going to get to the bottom of it.

"Tristan's not going to kill you, Ryan. Don't be ridiculous. But he has a right to it, you'll be working with her all the time now. How long do you think it is going to take him to figure it out? If you don't tell him, and he finds out on his own, it's not going to be pretty."

"How the hell am I supposed to tell him that I'm in love with his girlfriend?" He whispered angrily. Rory's head almost exploded. She tried to stay put, but she was sure that Ryan had felt her wincing. When she risked glancing at him, she saw that his face had lost all color. Well, she did want to get to the bottom of it, right? Looks like she did...

"Uh. I've gotta go, Justin." He said. He was doomed

"Tell him, Ryan." He said, and hung up. He turned around and almost tripped on a very angry Tristan.

"Figure what out?" Tristan asked, his hands clenched at his sides. He wasn't an idiot. He knew that Justin was talking about Rory. He refused to believe it, but he did know. When Justin kept silent, he took a step closer and threatened.

"You have two seconds to start talking Meyer, before I break every fucking bone on your face."


	32. Chapter 32

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

Justin took a deep breath and cursed Ryan's bad timing. This was not the time and place for a fist fight, no matter how angry Tristan would get.

"Just calm down, DuGrey. I have nothing to do with it. I _just_ figured it out." Justin said, defending himself. But he didn't back down. He had never been intimidated by Tristan before and he wasn't going to start now. Justin knew how to handle him, even with that murderous look in his eyes.

"Start. Talking." Tristan ordered through clenched teeth. He was having trouble keeping his anger under control. He was still wound tight from the stress of the mission. He couldn't help thinking that maybe if he shot someone he'd feel better.

"You should talk to Ryan, man. I have nothing to do with it." Justin said again. He hated being caught in the middle, but he didn't want to unleash an angry Tristan on Ryan either. Why the hell did this have to happen now? They were all still on edge. The mission left them all revved up, and they hadn't had time to blow off some steam yet. Usually, a couple of hours on the treadmill did it. Or some rounds in a boxing ring. Well, this time it looked like he was going to have his ass kicked...

"I'm not going to ask again, Meyer." Tristan took a step towards Justin. His adrenaline was still running high. Looking back now, if he had shot those rebels, maybe he would be feeling better right now, and wouldn't have the urge to punch something. Or someone.

"What are you going to do? Punch me?" Justin tried to bluster his way through it. It was as if he could read Tristan's mind "You did it before, and I can tell you that it didn't make you feel any better. You really should have learned how to control your temper by now, DuGrey."

If Tristan didn't kill Ryan, Justin would. Hell. He hated dealing with an angry and restless Tristan. He knew that Tristan had been itching for a fight ever since those rebels surrendered. Justin _knew_ him. And he knew that Tristan wouldn't back down, or calm himself down. He would just stand there, waiting for an answer.

Justin knew that he didn't have anywhere to run to anyway. And he also knew that, if he kept silent, he _was _going to have his ass kicked by his best friend.

"Let it go, Tristan. You know that Ryan is just a kid. He's not stupid, but he's still just a kid. Hell, he's barely eighteen." He started. How the hell do you tell someone that one of his friends is in love with his girlfriend?

"What the hell did Ryan do?" He barked angrily. He had already figured out that this was about Rory and he didn't want to jump to conclusions.

"He didn't do anything. Are you insane? It's just a stupid crush." Justin barked back, but he kept his voice down. He didn't want the others to hear him. "He'd never even think about doing something."

"Ryan has a crush on Rory?" Tristan asked, completely bewildered. "Are you kidding me? How the hell did that happened?".

"You're asking me?" Justin retorted. " I'm not the one in love with your girlfriend.". After a couple of seconds passed by, Justin nudged Tristan and told him again, calmer this time around. "It's just a stupid crush, man."

"She is going to be the death of me, someday." Tristan said, sitting down on the floor, and putting his hands over his head, trying to calm down. He came too close to punching Justin this time. Damn it.

"Go easy on him. He's already afraid you're going to kill him. It's not his fault your girlfriend is just so damn adorable." Justin tried to joke.

"I'm an idiot. I keep pushing them together. How many times have I sent him to look after her, to make sure she was all right?" Tristan said, and shook his head. "This is all my fault."

"Don't blame yourself, man. You didn't know." Justin answered truthfully, and sat down beside him. "Don't worry about it. He'll get over it in no time."

"Yeah. Right. Because that worked really well for me..." Tristan said sarcastically. "Damn it."

They were silent for a couple of seconds. Tristan was trying to think about how Rory would feel when she figured it out, because there was no way that Rory was that oblivious to how Ryan felt. Then again, it did take her fifteen years to realize that Tristan had feelings for her...

"Thanks man." Justin said, after a moment.

"For what?" Tristan asked, confused.

"For not breaking my nose. You had me worried there for a minute."

"Ryan?" Rory said, when he hung up the phone. She heard him sigh in defeat, but he didn't say anything else. She raised her head slowly. She couldn't believe was what happening, and she had no idea what to do.

She kind of remembered the crush she had on her TA when she was in college, she was so embarrassed when he somehow found out about her crush. She was already feeling sorry for Ryan. He must be mortified.

"I... Uh... I should, I should go." Ryan managed to say.

"It's okay Ryan. It's just a crush, isn't it?" She asked, gently. "I get it, trust me, I've been there. Don't worry about it." She got up and decided to give him some space. She went into the kitchen to get some water. All she could think about was how much she needed a good nights sleep.

"Yeah. I'm sure I'll get over it..." he mumbled to himself after Rory left the living room. He just sat there for a second, closed his eyes, and decided to man up. He went after her.

He stopped in her kitchen's doorway, and took a deep breath to calm down. He could do it. He wasn't a kid, and it was not the end of the word. Like Rory said, it was just a crush.

"I owe you an apology, Rory. I'm sorry I made things awkward. You don't have to worry about it, it's stupid. If you don't mind, I'd like to forget about it, and just go home." He said, as politely as possible.

Rory couldn't help smiling. He was a great kid. He just needed to find someone his own age. "Sure, Ryan. I'll see you tomorrow, at the paper, then?"

"Yes. I'll forward you our press release and we can meet around ten o'clock to review your article." He said, trying to sound normal.

"Okay then. Goodnight Ryan. And thank you, you know. For everything. I know you didn't need to take care of me." She said, grateful for everything he had done for her over the past two days. After all, it had been the first time that Tristan had been sent on a mission, since they started dating. She was already dreading the next time she would have to go through this. She didn't understand how families dealt with deployments and missions on a regular basis. Especially since most deployments lasted for months or a year at a time.

"It was a pleasure, Rory. I'd do it again, even without Tristan asking me to. It's not easy for me either – knowing what they are going to do out there, and having to stay behind." He said. After a second, he just waved goodbye to her and walked out.

Rory looked at the door for a while. She was glad this day was over. Now, she would take a nice shower, crash in her bed, and pray that tomorrow would pass without a glitch. All she wanted right now was to have Tristan back at home.


	33. Chapter 33

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

Tuesday passed by in a blur. Rory met with Ryan in the morning and he gave her the okay to go public with the article. Rory forwarded her final draft to her editor, and started editing some small pieces that she was working on. Around noon Lorelai called, wanting to know if Rory had any more news about Tristan. She talked a bit with her mother, but didn't want to stay on the line in case Tristan tried to call her.

She was going to take an early lunch break, but she wasn't very hungry so she just munched on some chips. She pitched a couple of stories to her editor, but she spent most of her time doing research, and thinking about Tristan. At around four o'clock, she gave up, and she told her editor she had a headache and was going home a little early. She decided to walk back home to enjoy the nice weather and to clear her heard.

She almost had a heart attack when she reached her porch and saw Tristan sitting on the steps. He was still in his uniform, which meant that he came directly from the airport to her house. She dropped her purse on the floor and launched herself at him.

"I can't believe you're here. I was so worried I was never going to see you again." She said, still hugging him. She was not ready to let go just yet. They stood there holding each other for a long time.

Tristan tried to let go of her, but when she tightened her hold on him he just picked her up and carried her into the house and into her bedroom. He sat down, with Rory straddling him and holding him tightly against her body.

"I'm never letting you go. You'll just have to get used to it, okay?" Rory said, and heard him chuckle.

"I love you too, babe." He said, and have no indication that he wanted to do anything but hold her.

After a couple of minutes, she raised her head began to trace his face with her fingertips, as if she was trying to memorize his face. "So, you just got back?" She asked, still touching him.

"Yeah. Straight from the airport. I still have to go to the base for debriefing." He said. _And talk to Ryan_, he thought. "Justin is already there with the boys. Dylan is in New York with Cameron and Finn."

"How was he?" She asked, wanting to know about Cameron. Since Rory had yet to detach herself from him, Tristan just laid back and pulled her into his side so that he could hold her and she would be resting her head on his chest. She wasn't the only one having problems letting go.

"He was fine given the circumstances. Just dehydrated. They weren't beaten or tortured, but they were bound to the wall and had nothing to eat or drink for a couple of days. They were really lucky." He started telling her.

"And the guys that had them?" She asked.

"We managed to secure the house, and they yielded without exchanging fire. We were prepared to take them down though. I had Justin in position and cleared to shoot if it was necessary. They knew they didn't have a chance against us."

"What happened to them?" She wanted to know, not out of curiosity, but because she needed to know all the details.

"They were brought to our superiors and will be dealt with in some way. They wanted to trade both soldiers for war prisoners. They were messing with the wrong people. The guys from the UNAMA mission, they are helping to rebuild Afghanistan, they weren't part of any offensive mission."

"I'm glad you're okay. When you left for New York, I was wondering if I was going to get to see you again." She said, looking down. She had been so afraid.

"Hey, hey. Look at me." he said, softly, "I'll always come back to you. Always."

"What if you die over there?" She asked.

"Don't think about that, babe. It's not going to happen." He said, even if he had no way of knowing that. "It's no way to live, thinking like that. You're just going to make yourself crazy if you do think like that."

"I really don't want to live without you Tristan. I just got you back." She said.

"You have me." He said as he looked into her eyes. "You always did."

She rested her head on his chest again, and closed her eyes. After a moment, she heard him ask, amused. "Did you just ask me to marry you?"

"No. I said I didn't want to live without you." She answered.

"Isn't that the same thing?" he continued, Rory couldn't tell if he was serious or if he was kidding. _He has to be kidding – there was no way we are reedy for marriage yet._ They were together for what, a couple of months? He couldn't be serious.

After several moments of stunned silence, Rory finally found her voice. "Are you serious?" She was getting nervous.

"I'd like to marry you, one day. I know that we aren't ready for it right now, but we will be eventually.." Tristan smirked.

Rory smiled as she took in his words. "Wow. Who would have thought that the King of Chilton would be telling his Mary that he wanted to get married some day." She paused to let her teasing sink in. She kissed his cheek, "Don't worry Tristan, I'd like to marry you someday."

"You would?" he asked, but he already knew the answer. She was going to marry him some day, he was sure.

"I do. I really do." She smiled. "I used to think that I was never going to do it. Get married."

"Well, I'd say you got pretty close. Didn't Huntzberger propose to you?"

"He did. And I said no. And I didn't change my mind, in case you were wondering." She said.

"But you did love him, didn't you?" He asked, and immediately cursed himself. Why the hell were they talking about Rory's relationship with Logan, it's not like he actually wanted to hear her answers.

"I did." She answered, but Rory knew that it wasn't the same as the love she felt for Tristan.

"So, if you loved him, why did you say no when he proposed?" Tristan couldn't help himself, he wanted to understand her. He didn't want to know about Logan, but he wanted to know her. All of her.

"Because it wasn't right. I loved him, but it wasn't enough. I wasn't ready." She said.

"Well, some things happen when you least expect. I never thought we'd be here today, but when I heard from my superiors that you were the reporter who was going to interview Ryan, I knew I had to see you. I was just so curious. I had thought about you enough that I couldn't let this chance slip by. But it never even crossed my that we would end up together"

"Mine neither." She said and began to smile. "But then again, I really am a sucker for a man in uniform."

They stayed like that for a while, neither of them wanted to let go. Rory could almost hear the wheels turning in his head. She wondered what he was thinking about. They had just discussed so many different things, she couldn't imagine what was bothering him. Was it the talk about marriage? But he was the one to start it, so it couldn't be it. She was about to ask him what was on his mind when he beat her to it.

"Did you know that Ryan has a crush on you?" Tristan asked her, bluntly.

"Oh. Uh, yeah. I kind of figure it out today." She said. _So that's what was bothering him,_ she thought. _Oh man, I was hoping he wouldn't find out so soon. _When she noticed that he was looking at her in total disbelief, she thought about what she said and corrected herself. "Okay, Okay. I overheard him on the phone with Justin. But I would have figured it out." When Tristan just smirked at her answer, she pinched him, and said it again.

"I would have figured it out! But it was awkward enough overhearing it while he was on the phone with Justin."

"Yeah, I know the feeling. I overheard them talking too."

"You did?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yep. Now I have to talk to him and it is a conversation that I am not looking forward to." He confessed.

"Is it really necessary for you to talk to him?" She didn't see the purpose in the conversation and she couldn't imagine that conversation would go well.

"You don't think its necessary? I mean, it's not like I can pretend that I don't know about it." He said.

"I just wish I knew what I did to make him feel like this, what started it."

"You didn't do anything Rory. Justin's right – it's not your fault you're just so damn adorable." He told her as he kissed her forehead. She really was adorable.

"Justin said that?" She was surprised. She couldn't hide the small smile that was forming on her lips.

"There's nothing funny about it, you know?" Tristan teased her. "So, what do you think I should I do about Ryan? I though that talking to him and straightening things out was the right thing to do."

"Well, let him come to you, then. He's an honorable man, he'll feel like it's his obligation to tell you. Especially since Justin knows. But, hey, at least he's not on your team anymore, because that would be really awkward. I'm the one working with him now..."

"Yeah, I'm not really a fan of that right now." He told her. He was trying really hard not to let her see how much that bothered him. He trusted Ryan, and crush or no crush, he knew deep down that Ryan would never cross that line. But that didn't mean that Tristan was totally fine with Ryan and Rory working together.

"At least you know about it, you won't be blindsided by it. Poor Ryan, he must be terrified, thinking that you'd probably beat the daylights out of him."

"Well, I did almost punch Justin when I found out..." he drawled.

"I'll never understand men."

"That's because you don't understand how appealing you are." Tristan said before kissing her softly and effectively ending the conversation. He sighed, and sat up, bringing her up with him. "I wish I could stay like this until tomorrow, but I still have to go in today. I should have done that hours ago."

"Well, I'll save you a spot... Right here in my bed!" She said, patting the bed. She watched him as he got up and something shifted inside of her.

She thought about their earlier discussion of marriage. She still thought it was too early to get married, but if she was honest with herself, he did spend most nights at her place. What would be the difference? What was really stopping her?

She looked at Tristan. Yes, she was afraid, but in her heart, she knew that it was the right thing to do. It was the next step. She did want to spend her life with him. She couldn't imagine her life without him. But marriage? It was too soon to get married, but what if they find some middle ground? Would a compromise be enough for him? For her?

"In that case, I'll try to come back as soon as possible. I really like your bed, you know?" he said. Tristan wasn't looking at her when he made the comment, if he had been looking he would have noticed the look in her eyes.

She took a deep breath and tried to calm her heartbeat. Could she do it? No. She didn't think she'd have the nerve to do that. It was too soon. She was just reacting to the weekend, to the fear of losing him. She shouldn't say anything now. Maybe, if she still felt like this is a couple of days, or weeks, when things were normal again, she could say something. But her mouth seemed to have a mind of its own, and didn't listen to her brain.

"Would you like it better if it were your bed too?" She said, surprising even herself.

He stopped dead in his tracks. He slowly turned around, and looked at her for a couple of seconds, trying to read her. Was she asking what he thought she was asking?

"What do you mean?" He asked with a serious tone

"What if it wasn't my bed, what if it was _**our**_ bed?." She tried again. She couldn't make herself ask him the question. She kept trying, but the words wouldn't come out.

"Rory." He said carefully, after a moment. "What are you really trying to ask me?" He was almost afraid to ask.

"Come on, Tristan. You know what I'm asking..." She was starting to get more and more nervous. Was she really doing this? Was she ready? She knew that once she did, there was no way out of it. _Please, don't make me say it. Please, don't make me say it. You're a smart guy, you can figure it out... _She thought frantically.

"I'm afraid you'll have to spell it out for me, babe..." He tried again, softly. She looked so fragile now. He didn't want to push her into anything. If that was what she really wanted, she needed to be able to say it.

He wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't offering marriage before. He wanted to marry her, but he knew she needed some time to figure out that she should be with him. He had almost fifteen years to think about it..

"You're really going to make me say it?" she asked in a small voice. When he just nodded, she decided to throw all caution to the wind and do it. She closed her eyes and tried to still her voice. When she felt that she could speak, she looked right into his eyes, wanting to show him how serious she was.

"Move in with me." She finally said.


	34. Chapter 34

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

"She did what?" Justin asked him, grinning from ear to ear.

"She asked me to move in with her." Tristan answered, grinning just as much.

Tristan was still in a daze when he walked inside the base that afternoon, after his conversation with Rory. He was so distracted that he hadn't even see Justin, he had just walked right through him. Justin took one look at him and smiled. He didn't even had to ask what was going on, or relentlessly dig for some information: Tristan just blurted it out.

"Just like that?" Justin asked him. He was really happy for Tristan.

"Just like that."

"So, I guess congratulations are in order." He smirked. "When are you moving in?"

"Moving in where?" Ryan asked, joining the conversation. Kent and Aaron were right behind him. The three of them had seen Justin and Tristan talking with big smiles on both their faces, and couldn't contain their curiosity.

"Rory just asked Tristan to move in with her." Justin said, his eyes glued on Ryan's face. He knew that Tristan and Ryan didn't have time to talk about Ryan's feelings for Rory, so he was a little bit worried about how Ryan would take the news.

"Oh, wow. Congratulations, man!" Aaron and Kent both said, patting him on the back. "I can't believe she beat you to it." Aaron continued, joking. "I was under the impression that it was the guy that was supposed to ask."

"I can honestly say I wasn't expecting it." Tristan said, still smiling. "Not that I'm complaining. If it were up to me, we'd be married already."

The three of them were so immersed in the conversation that neither of them noticed the look on Ryan's face. But Justin did. Ryan, sensing Justin's eyes on him, immediately plastered a smile on his face.

"Congratulations, Captain." He said, glad that he was able to do that without raising suspicion.

"Thanks, Ryan." Tristan said, but tried to tone down his enthusiasm a little bit. He knew at first hand what it was like to have a crush on Rory Gilmore and see her riding off into the sunset with another guy.

"Uh, Captain, may I have a moment? I'd like to discuss something with you, Sir." Ryan

said, thinking that this was a good a time as any to tell Tristan about his feelings for Rory.

The guys were already disbanding. Tristan waited until they were alone, and motioned to Ryan to follow him to one of the offices. When they were seated, Ryan nervously started.

"I, uh, I wanted to come clean with you, Sir. About my feelings for, uh, for..." he tried to say, but was cut off by Tristan.

"I know, Ryan. It's okay." He said.

"Oh. I didn't plan it, Sir." Ryan told him, embarrassed. "I couldn't really help it, to say the truth."

"Believe me, Ryan, I know the feeling." Tristan answered, already feeling bad for Ryan. "If I knew, I would never ask you to take care of her, in my absence. I can imagine it wasn't easy for you."

"I would do it again in a heartbeat, Sir. Even if you hadn't asked me to." Ryan said, truthfully. "We take care of our own, here, Sir. You taught me that on my first week on your team. And you all really took care of me, after my accident. It was the least I could do. I wouldn't be here if it weren't for you, Sir."

"I'm glad to hear it, then." Tristan said, proud of his soldier. "Are you going to be alright? I mean, working alongside with her?"

"I'll be fine, Captain. Don't worry about it." Ryan said, knowing that it was true. "Thank you, Sir, for taking the time to listen to me."

"Ryan, you know you don't have to address me like that, especially when we're talking about personal stuff." Tristan told him. "None of my men do that, and I'm not even your direct superior anymore. You can call me Tristan, or DuGrey, like the rest of them."

"I'll try to remember that, Sir. I mean, I'll try to remember that." Ryan tried. "It's going to take some time for me to get used to it, Captain. DuGrey. Sir."

"I swear to God Ryan, you're the only one that calls me Captain, when we're not on a mission." Tristan joked.

"I can't really help it, Sir. It's a matter of respect." Ryan answered. Plus, the truth was that Captain DuGrey scared the hell out of him, since his first day on the team...

"Well, it looks like you're the only one who does really respect my authority, then."

Tristan got up, and was almost out the door, when Ryan said. "Congratulations, DuGrey. I hope you'll be really happy, both of you."

"Thanks, Ryan." Tristan said, relieved that this awkward conversation was over and done with. He walked out the door, living Ryan in the room.

After a few minutes, Justin knocked on the open door, getting Ryan's attention. "You okay, man?" He asked.

"I'm okay, Meyer. It was stupid, really." He said.

"At least he didn't try to punch you in the face. You're welcome, by the way." Justin joked.

"I really though he would at least yell at me. Or threaten me." Ryan said. Everybody knew that, when it came to Rory, Tristan DuGrey was as jealous as they came.

"Oh, he would, he definitely would. He still might." Justin told him. "You're lucky I was the one near him when he heard us talking."

"Well, I can guarantee you that having Rory hear it was even worst. I don't think I've ever been this embarrassed before." Ryan confessed. "She really is a sweetheart. She acted like it was no big deal."

"That she is." Justin agreed with him. "Don't worry, though. You should have seen my sister's face when she got home, after the first time that Tristan took Rory on a date." He told Ryan. It was a current joke among them, his sister's crush on Tristan. "You took it much better than her!"


	35. Chapter 35

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

"You did what?" Jake asked Rory on the phone.

"I asked him to move in with me." She repeated, word by word.

"Oh my God. I can't believe it. You really did? He didn't put you up to it or anything?" He asked, one more time.

"I really did. I know, I can't believe it either. I just blurted it out." Rory told him. "He said yes."

"As if he'd really do otherwise..." Jake said, sarcastically. "Of course he said yes. He'd be an idiot if he said no. It's obvious he loves you."

"I'm happy, Jake. I'm really, really happy. I was waiting to be afraid, or to freak out. But I didn't. Well, I did, before I asked him. But once those words flew out of my mouth, I was just... happy."

"I'm really happy for you too, beautiful. You deserve to be happy. Just promise me one thing." He asked.

"Promise you what, Jake?"

"That I'll be in the wedding." He smirked.

"Jake! We didn't say anything about marriage." She lied. Tristan and she had talked about it. He said he wanted to marry her, someday. But Jake didn't need to know that. Yet.

"Please. He'd marry you in a heartbeat."

"Shut up, Jake." Rory tried to change the subject.

"So, I talked to Finn this morning." Jake obliged. "He said that Tristan was a real hero. He made it seem like it was a walk in the park, going after Cameron. I swear to you, even Logan was duly impressed with Cameron's account, and he was trying very hard not to be impressed by Tristan. But both Morgans was singing him praises left and forth."

"Well, it was not his first mission, he does do it for a living, you know." Rory tried to joke. She didn't want to think about all the things that could have gone wrong. Sure, Tristan was safe now, but he still carried a bullet wound that reminded him of how much was at stake, every time he carried out a mission.

"Everybody was talking about it. You hit the jackpot with this one." He said. "Oh, speaking of jackpots, your mom is asking when you are going to come home. She says you owe her five bucks and a lunch. Care to fill me in, beautiful?"

"Well, she had said that Logan would do something to piss Tristan off before mid-night, at your party." She said, recalling the party. It seemed so long ago, even though less than a week have passed.

"Oh, I remember that. I don't know what Huntzberger said to Tristan, but it sure did the trick. You know, I'm kind of jealous, right now. I never knew you could kiss like that. You were sure holding out on me... " He couldn't help himself but bait her. He could feel her blushing through the phone.

"I can't believe you're embarrassed, Miss Gilmore. Or, shall I say, Mrs DuGrey. I never saw someone mark his territory so fiercely before." He continued.

"Okay, that's it. I'm not talking to you anymore. Put mom back on the phone. I'd rather talk to her again!" Rory said.

"Okay, okay. I'll stop. I swear I will." Jake promised, laughing. "So, did I tell you that I finally got Juliet to agree to be my girlfriend?"

That's how Tristan found Rory when he arrived at her house, better yet, their house, that evening. He opened the door, trying to balance three boxes in one hand, while he held the door opened with the other. He was going to call out to her, to give him a hand, but when he heard her laughing on the phone, he just smiled. He could manage.

He dropped the boxes in their bedroom, and walked into the living room, where she was sitting on the floor, leaning on the sofa, still on the phone. He noticed the moment that she saw him. Her eyes sparkled, and she smiled at him, and silent asked him to sit next to her.

"Is that Jake?" He mouthed to her. When she nodded, he took the phone from her hand and asked him.

"So, did she tell you yet?"

"Of course she did, DuGrey. I was the first person she called. Well, the first person after Lorelai. Congratulations, man. I knew you could do it!" He teased.

"So, Jake, what are you guys doing next weekend?" Tristan asked.

"Uh, I have no idea, man. Let me ask Juliet if she has plans." He said, and put Tristan on hold. Rory looked at him, she didn't know what they were going to do next weekend. When she poked Tristan, trying to get his attention to ask him what was that all about, he just grabbed her finger, and pulled her closer to him. He kissed her forehead and her nose, and was going for her lips when he heard Jake back on the phone.

"So, according to Juliet, nothing that we can't postpone. Why?" Jake said.

"Well, I was thinking if you guys wouldn't mind flying down to North Carolina." He said, still holding Rory's hand. "I already invited Lorelai, but she said she wasn't sure if she could make it. I hope you can persuade her to come with you."

"You did?" He heard both Rory and Jake say at the same time.

"Yep. Justin and Dylan want to throw us a party here. Well, more like a barbecue. It's kind of a tradition for us, here. To celebrate mostly anything with a barbecue." He answered the two of them. "And I'm sure that Rory would be very happy to have you and Juliet here, and I can guarantee you'll fit right in."

"Wow. Thanks man. I'll ask Juliet, but we'll be there. With Lorelai. I'll make it happen." Jake said, happy to be included.

"Okay then. I'll tell the guys. It should start around one, on sunday. I'll ask Rory to send you the address. I'll see you, man. Say 'hi' to Juliet for me." He said, and gave Rory the phone back.

"I can't believe the guys want to throw us a party!" she said to Jake on the phone.

"Well, it's a momentous occasion, you know. Rory Gilmore, living with a man..." He teased. "Now, seriously, what's his secret? Because I pestered you for almost two years for us to live together, and you never caved..."

"Bye Jake!" Rory said on the phone and hang up. She turned to Tristan, then, and kissed him, like she wanted to do since he walked through the door. He was home.


	36. Chapter 36

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**Also, I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter.**

* * *

It was Friday afternoon and Rory was hurrying to finish her duties at the newspaper and leave in time to pick Jake up at the airport. He told her a thousand times that it wouldn't be necessary to pick them up and that they could manage on their own, but she insisted.

She was almost out the door when her editor called out to her. She sighed and turned around. This wasn't good. She would never make it on time, now. Damn it.

"Hey Phil. You wanted to see me, boss?" She asked.

"I did, Miss Gilmore. Let's go into my office, shall we?" He asked, and held the door for her.

As she passed Phil's secretary, she quickly scribbled down Tristan's number on a piece of paper and asked the secretary to call him and tell him that she wouldn't be able to pick her family up at the airport. She hoped that Tristan could make it.

After almost half an hour, she exited her editor's office with a big smile. Due to the large response her articles were getting, she had been given another column in the newspaper. She would have her own weekly column on Sunday's about the work of the Special Forces, and one new column every Wednesday, where she would write pieces about international affairs. She was ecstatic. It was a really big deal for her. She rushed out and called Tristan on the way home.

"Hey, babe. Did you get my message? Are you at the airport?" She asked.

"Uh, no, actually. I'm still at the base. I still have some things to finish up here, then I'm going straight home." He said. Home. He was still getting used to it, calling Rory's place home. But every time he thought about it, he ended up smiling like an idiot. "I sent Justin."

"Oh. Okay. I'll call Justin, then. See you at home, I love you." She said and hung up, and immediately dialed Justin's number.

"Hey Doll. I'm about twenty minutes away from the airport." Justin said. He knew that Rory was exited to have her friends over for the barbeque. He himself couldn't wait to finally meet Jake. He wanted to know the guy who was responsible for turning Tristan into a blithering jealous idiot when he started going out with Rory. He was curious to know how Jake fell into Tristan's graces so fast. He knew his best friend didn't warm up to anybody that quickly, especially someone who was Rory's ex-boyfriend.

He also had a lot of embarrassing stories to tell about Tristan and he hoped that Jake would have some about Rory to share with them. They all loved Rory, and thought that she was perfect for Tristan, and while she had no problem sharing some stories about when she was in high school with Tristan, or about her time on the trail with the Obama campaign, she didn't talk much about college or Washington D.C..

"Thanks, Justin. I would have picked them up, but I was called into a meeting with my editor. I just got out. I'll take a cab and meet you at the airport. If I know my mom, she'll want to stop at every store in that airport, making Jake crazy. And most likely late." She said.

"Oh, that's okay. I'll meet you at the entrance, and we can walk together to baggage claim, doll." He said. "Forty five minutes?" He asked, thinking it would give him enough time to park, have some coffee, check some things and meet Rory. He was trying to find the perfect gift for them. Maybe a trip to the airport would inspire him.

Forty minutes later, Rory was entering the airport. Jake had already called her, to say that they had landed, and that Lorelai was trying to raise North Carolina's economy all on her own by buying almost anything that "sounded southern." According to Jake, Lorelai was going through one of her phases. She spotted Justin right away.

"Hey Justin. Thanks again for doing that."

"Hey, doll. It was no problem at all. Tristan asked me to tell you that he's going to be a little late, but he'll meet you all at home."

"Do you know why he's going to be late? When I spoke to him earlier today he said that he would be finished by now." She asked, always the curious reporter.

"Yeah. It seems that he finally got around to replacing Ryan's spot in the unit. He was meeting with Custer to finalize the paperwork, and introduce the new guy to the team. I met him yesterday when we went over his scores"

"Oh. That's nice. Is it someone I know?" She asked. She knew that they were looking for the right person for some time now. Their unit was an exclusive group, which required a very specific set of skills.

"I don't think so doll. It's a new guy. Transferred directly from West Point. His scores were amazing." Justin said. "He'll be good. So, shall we?" he continued, and they started walking. They arrived at baggage claim and Justin was looking around, trying to spot Rory's friends and her mother. When he spotted an older version of Rory, followed by a blonde girl and a guy about their age, he touched Rory's arm, and pointed in their direction. He was taken aback with the mother / daughter reaction.

The older woman tossed her bags on the floor, and there were a lot of bags, and started running in Rory's direction. Rory did the same thing, tossing her purse on the floor next to Justin, and ran in her mother's direction. They met mid-way, hugged each other, yelling and laughing, totally making a scene. Juliet was as stunned as Justin was, but Jake didn't seem surprised at all.

He walked up to Justin, looked him up and down, and said, "You're not Tristan." Then he turned to Rory, and asked, trying to bait her. "Did you already change your mind, beautiful? Tell me you at least let Tristan down gently. I told him you were much more partial to guys with dark hair and brown eyes then the dirty blond types..."

Justin blinked a couple of times, hearing that, and understood why Tristan liked this guy so much. He laughed, tapped him on the shoulder and said.

"I wish, man. I wish. I'm just doing him a favor. But I'll be sure to tell him you said that." Justin told him, grinning. "I'm Justin, by the way. And this lovely young lady here must be Juliet." He said, and kissed her hand, gallantly. "It's a pleasure to meet you, ma'am."

"Ooh, Rory, aren't you going to introduce Mommy to the nice, young, good-looking man kissing Juliet's hand? My, he is handsome. Jake, I'm sorry, I'm demoting you from your post. From now own, I want him to make me breakfast in the morning. Can I keep him?" Lorelai said, clapping her hands like a child about to open her Christmas gifts.

Rory couldn't believe the look on Justin's face, he was actually blushing. She couldn't wait to tell Tristan. She burst into laughter. Jake was the one to make the introductions.

"Justin, this crazy woman coming on to you is Rory's mother. Don't worry. She doesn't bite. Just keep her supplied with coffee and she will be happy."

Justin, fighting his embarrassment, just shook Lorelai's hand and said, "how are you doing, ma'am?"

"Aww, aren't you going to kiss my hand, too?" She asked him, delighted that she made the soldier blush like a schoolboy.

"Mom, stop it. Can't you see that you're embarrassing Justin?" Rory joined in on the teasing.

"You are no fun." Lorelai told her daughter, but turned to Justin, to greet him properly. "I'm sorry. Please, call me Lorelai. None of this ma'am business. I feel old when people call me that."

"Uh. Nice to meet you, Lorelai." He said, getting over his embarrassment. "Man, I think it's the first time since Anna told the whole school that I didn't kissed her good-bye after a date that I've been this embarrassed. You're good." He told her.

"Aw, Thank you, Justin. I try." Lorelai said. After a moment, she asked. "How old were you?"

"When she told me that? I guess I was fourteen or fifteen. It was right before I got into Oak Ridge. When Tristan found that out, he mocked me for a week."

"Well, I'd prepare yourself if I were you, because I would bet a grand that this is going to be the first thing that she is going to tell Tristan when we arrive at their place." Jake warned him.

"You're kidding. She wouldn't... You're not kidding?" Justin asked him. Jake just shook his head, not even bothering with a straight answer. "Damn it."


	37. Chapter 37

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter, and also, I'd like to wish you all a very happy 2013! **

* * *

Jake was right. The first thing that Lorelai did when they arrived at the house was tell Tristan how Justin blushed like a schoolboy when she asked if she could keep him. Tristan laughed until he cried and spent most of the night making fun of Justin, as any best friend would. He knew that Justin would get back at him for all the teasing, but it was totally worth it. It was high time Justin made a fool of himself in front of Tristan, and not the other way around.

Justin wanted to go and leave them to their little gathering, thinking that they deserved some family time, but Lorelai wouldn't have it. She told Justin that if he was family to Tristan, then he was family to all of them and he was more than welcome to stay. She had heard from Rory, after that disastrous dinner back in Hartford, that when Tristan first arrived in North Carolina Justin's family took him in. She was prepared to like him just for that. Plus, she told Justin that she didn't want to feel like a fifth wheel sitting between two couples who would most likely spend the night making googly-eyes at each other.

So the six of them spent the night eating junk food and talking. Justin quickly picked up on all of the quirkiness of the relationship between Lorelai, Jake and Rory. Juliet and Tristan were more than used to it by now, and they usually went along with their antics. Rory and Jake behaved so much like brother and sister that Justin had to remind himself they used to go out. But he could totally understand now why neither Tristan nor Juliet had a problem with their close friendship.

And he could also see the way that Jake looked at Juliet. He was head over heels for her. If there were any lingering feelings between Jake and Rory, the four of them wouldn't be so at ease together. And Justin particularly liked Lorelai. She was absolutely different from any parent he had met, she was a lot of fun, and she must have driven Rory crazy sometimes with her larger than life attitude.

After a lot of laughing, Juliet excused herself to take a shower and go to bed, saying that she was exhausted, and Rory and Lorelai seized the moment to get the guest room ready for the couple, and the office ready for Lorelai, leaving the guys alone in the living room.

"So, Jake, Tristan never really told us about that party you gave." Justin started.

Honestly, when Tristan called Justin, and gave the order for him to go to New York, the party was the last thing on his mind. They were focused on finding out what the hell had happened and saving Cameron's life. And then, when the mission was over, there was the 'Ryan situation' to deal with. They never even got the party. It was only after Juliet mentioned something about all the boys fussing over Rory that Justin remembered it.

"Oh, man, you should have been there. It was awesome. By the way, Tristan, I forgot to thank you. I think I made almost three hundred bucks that night." Jake said.

"I can't believe you guys were betting on me..." Tristan shook his head and got up to take another couple of beers from the fridge. He should have expected the conversation to turn to that damn party, after the girls left the room.

"Three hundred bucks? I should have raised my bet... All I got was a measly ten bucks." Justin laughed.

"What did you bet on?" Jake asked.

"Well, after the scene he made when you called Rory that one morning, I was sure that you would do something to piss him off. So I bet ten bucks that he would be seeing red by the end of the night." Justin told him.

"Don't you two have anything better to do than talk about that damn party?" Tristan asked from the kitchen. He wasn't really expecting an answer, he was sure that he'd have to endure a lot of mocking from Justin and Jake through the night.

"Well, you got one thing right. He was ready to punch someone by the end of the night... It wasn't me, though." Jake said, thoroughly ignoring Tristan.

"Do tell, Jake." Justin asked, wanting to hear it. Jealous Tristan was always easy to make fun off, and Jake seemed to have a lot more stories to tell.

"It was all Logan. I still don't know what he said to Tristan, but you could see the fire in his eyes from miles. He just marched straight to Rory, and kissed her like there was no tomorrow. In the middle of the living room. I swear to you, they were going at it like teenagers in the backseat of a car. I wouldn't be surprised if he threw her down in the floor and -" but he was cut off by Tristan.

"He got the point, Matthews." Tristan said, walking back into the living room and tossing Jake and Justin their beer. He sat down, and glared at Jake while opening his own beer.

"Oh, man, what I would have given to see that." Justin laughed. "What did he say to you, man?" Justin asked.

"It's none of your business, Meyer." He answered, and took some time before sipping his beer, no doubt thinking about that night. Well, not so much about the party, really, but the little game he and Rory played after that.

"Hey, I'd like to know that, too, you know?" Lorelai said, appearing in the doorway. "Come on, Army Boy, tell us."

"See what you did, Matthews, now they are all ganging up on me." Tristan told Jake, narrowing his eyes, his mind back at the discussion at hand.

"Come on, man. That can't be worst than what you overheard when I was talking to Ryan." Justin said.

"Oh. I love 'let's pick on Tristan' day. I want to know that one too." Lorelai said, sitting down. Rory was still in the guest room, with Juliet. Thank God, or she would put a stop in all the fun.

"That one I can tell you, Lorelai." Justin said. "I'm sure you are aware that your daughter is a real heart-breaker. An adorable heart-breaker, mind you. It seems that Tristan was not the only one to fall for her graces."

"She is adorable, isn't she?" Lorelai said proudly.

"Ryan, the kid that she interviewed for the paper, had a major crush on her. The thing is, Tristan overheard us on the phone, when I figured it out." Justin started telling them.

"Oh, my. Not at all awkward, was it, Tristan?" Lorelai asked him, smirking.

Tristan just shook his head. He was doomed. Knowing Justin like he did, they really would spend all night making fun of him. Maybe it was not such a great idea to have Justin and Jake in the same room.

" I was all 'Tell him, Ryan, how long do you think he's going to take to figure it out?' you know? When I turned around and almost tripped into Tristan, and saw the look in his eyes, I knew he had heard most of what I said, and I was sure he was going to beat the crap out of me." Justin continued.

After the laughter died down, Justin looked at Jake, grinning, and continued teasing Tristan.

"I can only imagine what he heard in that party, but I can imagine it was far from good. And, more importantly, knowing Tristan's temper like I do, and having been on the verge of getting my ass kicked more than once because of it, here's something that I can't seem to get: How did Logan manage to escape unscathed, Jake?" Justin asked.

"Okay, okay. All right. I get it. You're not going to leave me alone, are you?" Tristan asked, putting his almost untouched beer back on the table. Sure, he didn't mind being mocked, but three against one? It was so not fair. And he didn't want Justin telling them more embarrassing stories where he behaved like a ten year old... "I didn't like the way he said that my girlfriend used to _like him_ just fine, or what he was trying to imply."

"Wait a minute... I know Logan. Sure, he can be an asshole, and he lives to stir up trouble. But he wouldn't say something like that unprovoked." Jake said, and Lorelai nodded her agreement.

"Spit it out DuGrey. What did you do?" Justin asked, knowing that there must be more to the story.

"Well, I may have implied that I couldn't understand why Rory had gone out with him, when she clearly hated guys like him before, you know, in high school." He told them. He felt like they were all in 6th grade all over again, gossiping like little girls...

"You didn't!" Lorelai exclaimed.

"Well, Lorelai, what do you suggest I should have done?" Tristan asked her, but it was more like a rhetorical question, that was totally lost on Lorelai, who was still laughing, imagining the two boys fighting over her daughter.

"Well, I have to tell you Tristan, you were not the first boy to engage in a fist fight over her..." She said, thinking about when Dean and Jess got into a fight over Rory in a party. That turned out to be mocking material for a long time.

"There was no fist fight, Lorelai. There was barely a fight. Sure, I wanted to hit him, but I still know how to behave at a social gathering." Tristan quipped.

"Still know? What about that Chilton Gala, when you almost got into a fight with Rory's old boyfriend?" Lorelai teased him

"Well, that was a long time ago, Lorelai, and I didn't have the best manners then. Military school really improved my social skills and manners. Even my parents agree with that."

"Oh, I can see it did, Army boy." Lorelai smirked.

Just when Tristan thought that he managed to get the conversation away from Logan and the party, Jake turned it all back.

"So that was it..." Jake said, leaning back on his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. "I knew you must have said something to him."

"Well. I still didn't like the way he said it." Tristan argued, if he didn't like Jake so much, he would wipe that smile off his face. "Now can we move on?"

"Oh, I can imagine you didn't" Justin said, thoroughly ignoring Tristan's pleas. It was even better that he expected. He just hoped he would be there to see the next confrontation.

"Now I understand why you two were late for lunch. All that pent-up energy..." Jake continued.

"Okay, stop right there." Rory said, from the doorway. "No more discussing my sex life. Mom, you should know better. This is weird even for you."


	38. Chapter 38

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter!**

* * *

The barbecue was a success. Tristan had been sure that Jake would fit right in with the guys and he was right. Rory was happy to have Lorelai and Juliet's company, because sometimes the boys seemed to forget that she was around.

She thought it would be awkward for Ryan to be there after her last conversation with him, but he was all right. She smiled a little bit when she saw him talking to Julie, Justin's sister. Judging from the looks they were giving each other, Rory thought that Ryan's crush would soon be a thing of the past.

She watched the boys talking and laughing and found herself really happy that she had the courage to ask Tristan to move in. She couldn't be happier. Rory then noticed that the two girls had stopped talking and were looking at her and grinning.

"Aw. Isn't it cute how in love she is? She all 'oh, I like him, I love him, I want to marry him' isn't she?" Lorelai asked Juliet.

"She definitely is. But then again, you should have seen the way Tristan was looking at her at Jake's party. I swear I don't know who's more sickening." Juliet said, continuing to tease her.

"Hardy har har." Rory answered. But she knew that they were right. She and Tristan were sickening in-love, but she was okay with that.

Lorelai batted her eyelashes and said. "My little girl is all grown up, now. Living with a boy. What would Emily say about that"

Although Lorelai was teasing Rory, she was incredibly happy for her daughter. This was the first time in a long time that she could see how happy her daughter was. A long time indeed. Lorelai could see that Rory managed to make a life for herself here, with Tristan, and his friends. She was doing great at her job, she had really nice friends, who made sure she was having fun, and she had a great relationship with Tristan. As a mother, it was everything she hoped for her daughter to achieve. She smiled, happy with her assessment of Rory's life, and returned to the teasing.

The boys weren't far behind with the teasing. Tristan saw Justin whisper something to Jake with a conspiratory look on his face. Tristan narrowed his eyes at the two, but let it go. It looked like the guys weren't done making fun of him just yet.

Jake just nodded in response to the comment and smirked at Justin. Tristan knew it wouldn't be too bad, he just needed to figure out what was Justin's game this time.

"So, Tristan, tell us, when can we expect the wedding invitations?" Jake asked.

_Ha. So that's game, _Tristan thought, and was already throwing daggers at Justin with his eyes. Justin knew that, if he asked that question directly, Tristan would just tell him to go to hell. So he was using Jake. Well, that's not going to happen.

"Bite me, Jake." He said, not giving in.

"I'll give him two months, tops." Dylan said. He had already picked up on the game.

Tristan just shook his head in disbelief. "We just moved in together. We're not thinking about marriage. Hell, we've only been together for a couple of months." He said, in that 'drop it' tone of voice, which usually did the trick. Well, at least in the field it did. Tristan didn't care about the teasing, he just didn't want Rory to hear it and freak out.

"I say the end of the year." Justin responded with a smirk on his face. " Rory doesn't strike me as someone who'd put together a marriage in just two months."

Tristan knew the tone wouldn't work with Justin. The guy didn't know when to stop. He was not at all afraid of Tristan. And apparently, neither was Jake. Honestly, Tristan was beginning to think that maybe introducing Jake to the guys was not a great idea after all.

"Nah, you guys just don't know her that well. All she'd need is the three days that it takes to get the marriage license and Lorelai by her side." Jake said. "I'll give them three months, though. This one is stubborn." He motioned to Tristan with his head.

"Man, you have no idea." Justin answered, looking in Tristan's direction.

"Okay, I'm out of here." Tristan said, having enough of it. He wasn't going to propose to Rory so soon. They talked about it, and she made it clear that she wasn't ready yet.

He knew that Rory was going to marry him eventually, he just needed to be patient, and Tristan wasn't worried about being patient. After all, he had waited more than 15 years for her, he could wait a little longer. Tristan just didn't understand why the hell the guys couldn't seem to shut up about it. It wasn't like he didn't want to propose to her. The timing just wasn't right yet.

At the sight of Tristan walking away, the guys just laughed. "One down, one to go." Justin said to Jake. "I can't wait to see those two married. They belong together."

"That they do, they really do." Jake said, smiling in Rory's direction.

"Can I ask you a question, Jake?" Dylan said. He was trying to work something out in his head, and couldn't get past one thing.

"Sure, fire away, Dylan." Jake said. He was really having fun with them. He hoped he would be able to visit more often.

"Uhn... Didn't you use to date her?" He asked, referring to Rory.

"Yeah. I did. A couple of years, on and off." He said. He knew what Dylan was getting at. He had heard it all, especially from Logan's friends. And Lorelai. He was more than used to it.

"I don't get it. How can you be so okay with her and Tristan, then? Aren't you even a little bit jealous?"

Jake sighed, and decided to tell them the whole story. Thank God that Tristan wasn't hearing this one. As much as Tristan seemed to like him, no guy wants to hear about someone else being in love with his girlfriend. Even if it was all in the past.

"Okay. Well, I met her almost six years ago. God, I feel old. So, anyway. She had just arrived in DC, fresh off of the Obama campaign trail. I had been at the paper for a couple of months already and we were paired together. I fell in love almost immediately. I asked her out once, but she gave me this roundabout answer that boiled down to the fact that she was still trying to get over someone."

"That would be Logan, right? The guy from Yale she used to date?" Justin asked

"Yes. But they didn't just date. They were together for three years, even living together some of that time. Logan asked her to marry him at her graduation. He was moving to California, and wanted her to go with him. She said no, they parted ways, and she ended up working for the Obama campaign for almost two years before going to Washington." He tried to explain without too much detail.

"And after two years she wasn't over him?" Dylan asked.

"Yes and no. Yes, she was over him, but she wasn't over being hurt. She was afraid of getting her heart broken again. It took me almost a year to figure it out, and a couple of months more to get her to go out with me. It was almost a whole year before she would admit we were together." He told them, truthfully.

"But when I finally got it, it wasn't what I was expecting. All I wanted to do was make her happy, and I couldn't do it, no matter how hard I tried. But at that point, she was the best friend I had. Sure, I was still in love with her, but I didn't want to lose her friendship either. So I settled for what I could get. We were never serious, every time that it got too close to being something real, she would pull back, and we would break up. We did that for almost four years." He continued.

"Wow. I don't know if I could do that." Dylan said. Justin just nodded. He knew a little bit about that story, the bits and pieces that he heard from Tristan. But to hear it from Jake, he could see now how good of a friend this guy could be.

"Well, my grandfather always told me you have to play with the cards you've been dealt... So anyway, we were still together when she told me about this job offer in North Carolina, so I broke up with her and told her to go. No regrets, no looking back. It was her dream, to be an international correspondent, and I sure as hell wasn't going to stand in the way. We agreed to stay friends, and I moved on. I love her, I do, but she's more like a sister, now. I found someone else who makes me really happy, and so did she. She has Tristan." He finished.

"I had no idea." Dylan said, and the other guys just nodded.

"Well, she's worth it. And if she was willing to put her heart on the line again, for Tristan, then I would like him, just for that. She deserves to be happy. And I could see after a couple of seconds just how much he loves her." Jake said. "I told Tristan that already."

"Well, for a guy who waited almost fifteen years to get the girl, he's really lucky... You should have seen his face when he entered Ryan's room, after that interview, and she just launched herself at him and hugged him. It was priceless." Justin said.

"Well, I'm still giving him two months..." Dylan said.


	39. Chapter 39

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter!**

* * *

They all lost that bet.

Tristan cracked and asked her to marry him less then a month after the barbecue. It was spur of the moment, he didn't even have a ring when he asked her. They were lying in bed, after a round of lovemaking, with Rory lying on top of him, a big smile on her face, almost falling asleep. Something burst inside of Tristan at the sight of her, and he just mumbled.

"Marry me."

Rory's head quickly snapped up. "What did you just say?" She asked, startled. They had only been living together for little more than a month.

When Tristan felt her stiffen in his arms, he just tightened his hold on her, and flipped her on her back, so that she was lying underneath him. He kissed her, to prevent her from talking, or thinking, really, and repeated.

"Marry me." He wasn't asking.

Rory was so surprised by the question that she was unable to speak. She closed her eyes for a second, trying to process what was happening. When she open them again, she saw the way that Tristan was looking at her. She could see how much he loved her just by the look on his face, and that made her heart melt inside her chest. He _really_ loved her and he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her.

"Yes." She said, smiling.

"Yes?" He asked her, trying to make sure. A smile started to form in his lips. "Really, yes?"

"Yes. I'll marry you." She confirmed.

"You don't need to think about it?" He insisted. He was expecting a big freak out. They hadn't discussed marriage again, and he was sure that she was not ready yet, that she'd freak out and run, just like she did when he told her he loved her for the first time.

"No, I don't need to think about it. I'm sure. I love you, and I want to marry you. So yes, I'll marry you." She said. "Aren't you going to kiss me now?"

Her body was already starting to tingle, just from being underneath him, and she was kind of lightheaded, probably because of the way he was looking at her. She knew that she was starting to blush, she always did when he stared at her like that. She instinctively arched her body, just a little bit, trying to get even closer to him.

"I don't know... Do you want me to kiss you now?" He asked her, falling back to their well-known teasing games. He closed his eyes, and moaned softly when Rory repeated her actions, this time, not so instinctively.

"Don't you?" She answered, with another question. This game they played always made her crazy. She had no control when it came to Tristan.

He smirked at her, knowing that this was a game that he always enjoyed, regardless of the outcome. He leaned closer, so that his lips were almost on hers, and whispered. "Always Mary. I'll kiss you whenever you want me to." He said as he kissed her hard on the lips. "Wherever you want me to." He whispered again, and moved to her neck. "For as long as you want me to kiss you". And he moved lower still.

And he did exactly that. They spend the whole night proving to each other just how much they loved one another. It was the one of nights of her life.

The next morning, she called her Lorelai, and gave her the news. She didn't know who was happier; her or her mother. She told Lorelai what she was planning to do, and asked for her help, especially with the grandparents. She knew that her grandmother wouldn't be happy with the news. Then she called Jake.

"So, what are you're doing two weeks from now?" She asked on the phone.

"Didn't we already have this conversation? This fells like déjà-vu, beautiful." Jake joked.

"I'm serious, Jake. What are you doing two weeks from saturday?" She tried again.

"Uh. I don't know. I guess I'm going to North Carolina, again?" He said, trying to figure out what she was up to.

"Great. Do you know if Juliet is free too?" She asked, still not telling him what this was about.

"I think she is. Are you going to tell me why we're flying down again? Is this going to be a monthly thing now? Because if it is, you should come to Hartford too." He said.

"Oh, we will. Don't worry about it." She smiled.

"Okay, I'm out. What are you doing Gilmore?" Jake said, beginning to lose his patience.

"I'm getting married."

"You're WHAT?" Jake yelled, and sat down.

"I'm getting married, Jake. In two weeks. Here in Raleigh." She said.

"Two weeks? Tristan's afraid you're going to change your mind?" He baited her. "Seriously, when did it happen?"

"Last night. He just blurted it out. He didn't even have a ring, so I'm guessing it wasn't planned or anything. I said yes." She rambled.

"I gathered as much." Jake answered, smiling to himself. "Wow... you did it. You're really getting married?"

"I really am." Rory said.

"I hope he'll make you deliriously happy, Rory. I really do." He said.

"He already does." Rory smiled. "So, I know that I'm supposed to ask a girl to be my maid of honor, but Jake, you're my best friend. I want you by my side. Would you stand with me at my wedding?"

"Are you asking me to be you're maid of honor, Rory?" He teased.

"Well. Kind of. We can think about another name for it if you prefer." She teased right back.

"Of course, beautiful. I'd do anything for you." Jake answered, touched that she wanted him there. "So, who's going to be in the wedding?"

"Well. Justin is Tristan's best man. And you're mine." She smiled. "Mom is going to be there too, with Luke. She will be my bridesmaid. And Dad will give me away." She started. "The guys from Tristan's unit are going to be there too. And Jules. And I called Lane and Paris. I hope they can make it."

"They will. Anyone else?" He asked.

"Cameron will be here too. I wanted to invite Finn, but you know, I can't invite just one of the stooges. They come in packs." She said. "But Tristan agreed to let my grandparents throw a party for us, in Hartford, so I'm just going to wait and invite them all to that one. You can imagine how that is going to go..."

They stayed on the phone for a couple more minutes talking about the wedding. It was going to be small with just family and close friends. She knew that her grandparents would throw a fit when they found out that she was getting married in two weeks, that's why she'd agree to a party, and spent a couple of hours trying to convince Tristan to agree too. Sookie was going to make the cake, of course, and cater the small party.

It would be awesome, the wedding she always dreamed of having. Well, except for the fact that it was happening in North Carolina, and not Stars Hollow. But she knew that, if she planned a wedding in Connecticut, she would most definitely be Gilmored, and end up with a Romanov or Fairy Winter wedding. That's why she'd wait until the last possible second to tell her grandparents – and Tristan's parents.

They decided to use Justin's family house for the ceremony. It was a beautiful house, with a nice garden, and big enough to hold their guests. Justin's parents were trilled that Tristan asked them permission to use it. They consider him family, since Justin dragged him home one weekend, all those years ago, and they adored Rory.

They would decorate the porch with flowers, and rent a couple of tables. They were really excited about it. This was exactly what they both always wanted: Something small and intimate. Something they would remember forever. Something that would be just about them, only them.


	40. Chapter 40

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

* * *

Rory was very nervous. It was understandable of course, after all, it was a big day. Her wedding day. She had already put her dress on, and her hair and her barely-there makeup were done. She was just about finishing getting ready when she heard a knock on the door.

"Hey, kiddo. Can I come in?" She heard her father ask.

"Sure dad. Come on in." She ushered him inside. "So, how do I look?" She asked, twirling around like a little girl. She was wearing a simple long white summer dress. It was more autumn than summer already, but the day was warm enough for her to wear it. And Rory didn't want to wear a wedding gown. This dress, as simple as it was, was exactly what she wanted. It suited her, the simplicity of it.

"Wow. You look amazing, kid." Chris said with a smile. "Tristan is a lucky guy. So, are you all ready?"

"I am." She said, and looked at herself one more time in the mirror. She really was ready. She took his father's arm, and they started for the door. She had barely reached it when she stop dead in her tracks.

"Wait." She said. "I don't have anything blue with me. I've got mom's earrings, as my something borrowed, my old tiara from that male Yale party as my, well, something old, and the dress is new, so it counts as something new. But I don't have anything blue " She nervously ranted.

"I got it." Her father said. He took a small Tiffany box from his vest pocket and gave it to her.

"I wanted to give you this, after you got married. But now is as good a time as any. Especially if you need something blue." He smiled and gave her the box.

"And it's also new, so, you know, it doubles your something new. That's got to count for something, right?" He continued, he was as nervous as his daughter.

She opened it, and her eyes started to water. "Thanks dad. That's beautiful. Mom has one just like it, doesn't she?" She asked, picking up the delicate pendant. It was the tiniest heart, made with blue topaz and small diamonds. It was really beautiful.

"Yeah, I gave one to her right a couple of years after she had you, in one of my visits. It matched your eyes perfectly." He told her. "I got one for you too, for some time. I was waiting for a special occasion. Come here, let me put it on you."

He fidgeted with the clasp for a couple of seconds, and then turned her around. "Wow. It does really match your eyes. You look gorgeous, honey!"

"Thanks, Dad!" She told him, giving him a hug. She looked one more time in the mirror, and straightened her dress for the hundredth time.

"I'm ready now!" She said. She took his arm again, and they went down the stairs and into the living room. The doors to the garden were closed, where the guests were all assembled. She saw Jake and her mother waiting for her.

"Oh hun, you look amazing. Doesn't she Jake?" Lorelai asked, her eyes already watering.

"She sure does. Are you ready, beautiful?" Jake asked.

"I am." Rory smiled. She watched Jake give a "thumbs up" to Justin's mother, and then the music started. She locked eyes with her mother for a second, and the doors were opened, and Lorelai was walking down the aisle.

After a while, Jake kissed her on her cheek, whispered and "I love you, beautiful" and he too was walking down the aisle. She could her some giggles and some laughter from the guests, at the sight of her maid of honor turned best man, but she didn't care.

"Show time?" Her father asked. She nodded, not finding her voice to speak just now. Then the doors opened again and she started walking. The rest of the ceremony was a blur. Before she knew it, their vows were exchanged, she had a ring on her finger, and the priest was telling Tristan that he could now kiss the bride.

She could hear their guests cheering while Tristan kissed her tenderly, and took her hand so that they could walk down the aisle together.

–

"I can't believe we're married." Tristan told her, while they were dancing their first song. "You're Mrs. DuGrey now. How do you feel?" he asked, smiling at her.

"I feel... amazing. Happy. Like I'm in heaven." She answered. "I can't believe you picked that song."

"Well. If I had to choose a song, I wanted it to be meaningful. And that's how I feel about you. About us." He said while singing along with the song, under his breath. Just for her. She had no idea that he could sing.

"Well, Captain DuGrey, it was perfect. You're perfect." She said, and kissed him lightly on the lips."

"I can't wait for our wedding night." He whispered on her ear, and felt her shiver.

"Neither can I, but we have guests. We can't ditch them." She started to say, but it came out as a moan, as he started to kiss her neck. "Tristan..." She tried again, telling him to behave.

"Okay. Okay. I'll save it for tonight." He said. And they continued dancing. "So, what did you think about the new guy?" Tristan asked her, talking about Andrew Lewis, Ryan replacement in their unit.

"I liked him! He's witty, and he seems to keep up with the others. It was nice of you to invite him to the wedding." Rory motioned to the group with her head, and smiled.

"Well, I couldn't very well invite the whole team and leave him out. He's been here for a week now, it's good that he's getting to know us outside of the base too. Those first days are always hard, and if we can do something to ease the transition, then it's out job to do that. That's why our unit is so tight."

"Did you know he was Juliet's cousin when you chose him for the team?" She asked him. She hadn't told Tristan yet, but her next story was going to be about the new addition to the Rescue Team.

"No, I had no idea. I didn't know Juliet's family name when we did his background check, so it didn't ring any bells. It was only when Jake greeted him this morning that I found out that Andrew and Juliet were related."

"Huh. What a coincidence." She said, and they continued dancing and talking. After a few more songs, when more people were dancing, he twirled her around, and smirked, seeing something. He whispered to Rory.

"I guess we were worried about Ryan for nothing. Look at that." He motioned with his head to the end of the makeshift dance floor, where Ryan and Jules were dancing. They were both pleasantly surprised when Ryan slowly lowered his head and kissed her softly. They both smiled at the scene.

They sensed someone approaching, and turned around again, to see Jake and Juliet smiling at them. "So, may I have this dance, Mrs DuGrey?" Jake asked.

"Sure," Rory said, but she was still looking at Tristan. "Do you mind?" She silently asked him.

"Not at all, Mrs DuGrey. Man, I love how that sounds." He answered, and kissed her. "I'll just keep Juliet company. I'll save you one more dance for later."

Rory kept watching Juliet and Tristan walking towards the group of Tristan's friends, until she felt Jake tugging at her hand. They danced in silence for a couple of minutes, until Jake called her name.

"So. Are you happy?" Jake asked her, when he had her utmost attention.

"Deliriously." She answered, remembering the conversation they had on the phone, after Tristan proposed.

"I'm happy for you. I always knew you'd find someone." Jake said, truthfully.

"Still sorry it wasn't you?" She teased. She knew Jake was okay with her marrying Tristan, but it was still a subtle way of making sure that they were okay, that their friendship was solid.

"Babe, I gave up a long time ago. It was never supposed to be me. I was always supposed to be your best friend." He smiled at her. "Besides, I'd never settle for a small wedding I North Carolina." He teased her.

"You'd be miserable here. You are a city boy, born and bred in Connecticut. Plus, I always knew you were partial to blonde girls." Rory smirked.

"I'll settle for best friend. Plus, Lorelai had already made it clear that I'm not going anywhere." Jake continued, refusing to comment on his preferences.

"Well. Mom says you're the son she never had. You're perfect for our little family."

"Well, I'm glad! I like your family. Now come on, let's get you back to your husband." He said, taking her hand and walking her towards their respective partners.

"And Juliet. So, how are you and Juliet? I've never seen her so happy." She asked, slowing down their walk, so she could ask him about Juliet before they reached her side.

"We're good." He told her. "Really good. She keeps me on my toes."

"So, when are you going to ask her?"

"Tomorrow night. I didn't want to steal your thunder." He smiled.

"You' sure? It was awfully quick!" Rory asked.

"We're practically living together already. It's just a formality." He told her. "And you're one to talk!" He teased her.

"Well. I hope you'll be very happy!" She said, thinking about her life with Tristan.

"Deliriously."


	41. Chapter 41

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter!**

* * *

"I can't believe you convinced me to do that!" Tristan said, coming out of their bedroom at Lorelai's house, adjusting his tie.

"Well, you try saying no to her." Rory answered from the kitchen. She had just finished getting dressed, and she was making some coffee. She would need a lot of coffee to get through this night. She was exhausted. They had just came back from their honeymoon that morning after spending a week in Thailand.

"She's your grandmother, you know." He said, coming behind her, taking the coffee mug from her hand, and putting it back on the table, before starting to nuzzle her neck. He didn't want her to burn herself with the hot beverage while he kissed her senseless. Rory let out a soft moan, leaned into him, closed her eyes, and gave into the feeling of his soft lips on her neck.

Rory turned around, capturing his lips in a hungry kiss, and Tristan seized the moment to haul her up on the table, and pulled her even closer to him. They would most definitely be late for the party, but he didn't care. Since she walked out the bedroom wearing that pale blue gown, with the white lace accents, that hugged her body perfectly and highlighted the soft tan she was sporting from their honeymoon, the only thing he could think about was taking the dress off and having his way with her. He couldn't get enough of her.

"Wow, and here I thought that after a week in one of the most romantic hotels in Thailand you two would be tired of doing this." Lorelai said, walking in on them. The two of them were slow to separate themselves. Tristan helped Rory get off the table, arrogantly pleased with the glazed look he could see in her eyes, and her rumpled dress. He closed his eyes, and tried to get his body under control. He was, after all, at his mother-in-law's place.

"Come on, oh daughter of mine, let's retouch your make-up and straighten you dress. And you, try to keep your hands to yourself for a while..." Lorelai smirked, looking directly at Tristan, and dragged Rory into the living room.

Tristan sighed, and took the time to straighten his appearance too. He adjusted his tie, and used his fingers to fix his hair, attempting to feel comfortable in his suit. Damn, he hated wearing suits. He was really dreading this damn party.

He looked at the time, and decided to call Justin to see if they were ready to go. Jake had offered his apartment for Justin to stay in, as he was practically living with Juliet anyway. Jake and Justin had become really good friends after that barbeque, because Justin could see just how much Jake loved Rory, and how happy he was that Rory and Tristan were together.

They all knew that Jake was thinking about proposing to Juliet, and Tristan was curious to know if he had gotten around to it. He smiled, as he dialed the phone, thinking about the hell that Juliet would put him through after she said yes. Hartford weddings weren't known for their simplicity. He was happy that Rory hadn't wanted a big society wedding, with months of waiting and planning, and all that jazz. He could do without this party, sure, but it was better than the alternative. Tristan knew that Jake would not be so lucky because Juliet's family would never go for the small, intimate wedding. He dialed the now familiar number, and waited for someone to pick up.

"Jake's apartment." Justin answered politely.

"Hey Meyer, it's me. Are you guys ready?" Tristan asked, directly to the point, as always. "We are already running a little late."

"We're just about ready. How are you doing, man?" Justin asked, knowing how Tristan felt about this party. They had talked about it when Justin asked if Tristan's parents would like to stay at the house for the wedding, only to hear that they were not coming. Justin knew that the relationship between Tristan and his parents was not great, but he couldn't understand how someone could miss their own son's wedding. Tristan just shrugged it off, and gave Justin a roundabout answer, saying that it was just the way things were between them.

Tristan hadn't seen his parents since that dinner at the Gilmore's. He didn't even know whether or not they were pleased that he was married to Emily and Richard Gilmore's granddaughter, and truthfully, he didn't really care. He was also dreading seeing most of Hartford Society again. This would be the first time, apart from that little soiree with Rory's friends from Yale that Jake hosted when he moved to Stamford, that he would see most of the people from his past.

After he was sent to North Carolina, he had lost contact with most of his fellow Chilton colleagues, and he couldn't remember most of them. He had few friends, and fewer close ones that bothered to stay in contact. He guessed that most of them didn't even know he was a US Army Captain nowadays. Sure, there had been some articles about him and his work on several papers, and a few interviews, but those were not the kind of articles or interviews that the Hartford Society paid attention. And Tristan knew that Justin knew that, and that Justin was worried about him.

"I'm okay." Tristan said, and they were both silent for a few seconds. "I just wish this night was over and done with. I left this world a long time ago, and I have no desire to be back here. I'm just doing this for Rory."

"Well, it was sweet of her grandparents to throw you two a wedding party." Justin said. He knew that it was going to be a difficult night for Tristan, and he hoped that Tristan's parents would not go thought the trouble of attending the party. He was glad that he was invited, because that way, he and Jake could keep an eye on him, in case Tristan's parents decided to make an appearance. Plus, he was curious to meet Cameron's brother and his friends, and to have a glimpse of Tristan's old life. He wished he could understand how these high society families worked, but none of what Jake or Rory told him made any sense, and trying to place Tristan in this environment was almost impossible to him.

"Well, it was the only way that they'd agree to the small wedding that we wanted. There was no way out of it. And well, Rory would do almost anything to please them, which is a concept that I'm not at all used to... Well, let's get it over with, shall we? We'll pick you up on the way to Hartford, right?" Tristan asked, changing the subject.

"Sure man, I'm about ready. See you in 30 minutes?" Justin asked. "I'm sure that's enough time for Jake and Juliet to be ready too."

"30 minutes. I'll see you, Justin." Tristan said and hung up. He took a deep breath, and went into the living room to see if Rory and Lorelai were ready to go.

They arrived at the party with time to spare. As usual, Emily Gilmore was driving everyone crazy with the preparations for the party. The house was beautifully decorated, with blue and white flowers everywhere, and of course the candlesticks were fifteen inches apart. She had really gone all out for her granddaughter's wedding party. Most of Hartford Society was invited, obviously, and she had a reputation to live up to, after all you don't see a Gilmore-DuGrey wedding everyday, two very prominent names in Connecticut.

They were the first to arrive, but the party was soon in full swing. Rory and Tristan managed to spend most the night with big smiles plastered on their faces, despite their desire to just go home and enjoy a quiet evening together, and neither Justin or Jake had to run interference for them. To everyone's surprise, Tristan's parents made their appearance, toasted the newlyweds, and left right after that: they didn't even talk to Rory and Tristan at all.

Finn spotted Justin right away, and made his way to the table where he sat with Jake and Juliet, waiting for Rory and Tristan to finish making rounds, and thanking people for coming. Colin, Logan and Cameron were right behind him..

"Hey, Meyer. How are you mate? I should have known you'd be here." Finn greeted him warmly. He was very found of Justin, after all he did when Cameron was in trouble. They would email each other quite often, but that was the first time that Finn saw him after New York.

"Hey, Cam, look who's here!" Finn told his brother, when the three of them finally joined them at the table.

"Lieutenant Meyer, always a pleasure!" Cameron said, encasing Justin in a man-hug. "How are you, man? Are the others here too?" He asked, thinking about the rest of the team. He had come to know them pretty well after they had saved his life.

"No, Dylan is running the unit from Raleigh, in Tristan's and mine absence. Aaron, Kent and Andrew are in the middle of a war exercise, and Dylan is overseeing them." Justin told him.

"Andrew?" Cameron asked. He didn't remember anyone named Andrew from that Rescue Mission.

"He's the new guy." Justin answered, and looked over Cameron's shoulder, at the two guys that were looking like they were waiting for an introduction. He surmised that the blonde one was Rory's ex-boyfriend, and the other one must be one of their friends. He remember that there were three of them, from the stories that Rory used to tell.

"Are you guys joining us? There's plenty at room at the table." Justin asked, politely. "I'm Justin, by the way. Justin Meyer. You must be Rory's friends from Connecticut."

"Meyer, these are my best friends, Logan Huntzberger and Colin McRae. Guys, this is Justin." Finn made the introductions. He could see from the look in Justin's eyes that he knew exactly who Logan was, and about his efforts to get under Tristan's skin at Jake's party. He hoped that Logan would be on his best behavior tonight. He knew that his friend was over Rory, but it was bound to be awkward being at your ex-girlfriend's wedding party, especially when said ex-girlfriend rejected your marriage proposal. But it looked liked both Justin and Finn were worried for nothing.

The guys spent some time chatting, even after Rory and Tristan joined them. They laughed a lot, and Tristan actually enjoyed listening to some of Rory's stories from Yale. Both Justin and Tristan were hard pressed to believe that Rory actually jumped from a scaffold, when Juliet told the story about how Rory managed to be invited to a Life and Death Brigade event, and Finn was forced to show them the pictures he had on his phone from that stunt to prove them that Rory really did it. They were all astonished to see that Finn had managed to keep those pictures for so long.

And Tristan almost fell of his chair from laughing when Finn and Colin were recounting another stunt they did, where Logan and Colin were fake-fighting for Rory's attention in the middle of her class, and Finn appeared dressed like a policeman. Rory was, of course, mortified, but she couldn't deny it was funny. Jake also had a few stories about their time in Washington to tell them too, but they were not as outrageous as the ones from Yale. They spent most of the night laughing and reminiscing, and Justin was surprised to see Logan and Tristan getting along nicely.

Logan was the first to spot Juliet's engagement ring, and they all decided to celebrate Jake and Juliet engagement as well as Rory and Tristan wedding. They were both content to share the spotlight, and there was enough champagne to toast both a wedding and an engagement.

It was close to two in the morning before they decided to call it a night. They had a lot of fun, more so than they expected. Tristan tried to look for Justin before they went home, but he was unable to find him. He then remembered that he had seen Justin flirting with one of Jake's friends from the paper, and thought that maybe he just got lucky. Rory and Tristan said their goodbyes to their friends and family and went home to Stars Hollow. They decided they could look for Justin tomorrow. After all, the man was in the army, he could take care of himself. Right now, they just wanted to go home and fall asleep in each others' arms.


	42. Chapter 42

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter!**

* * *

Tristan and Rory met up with Justin at the airport the following morning. They arrived early, had breakfast together, and walked around the airport for a while, waiting for the boarding time. Rory wanted to walk off the sleepiness, so they silently followed her.

Justin was unusually quiet and Tristan wondered if it had anything to do with where Justin disappeared to last night, or rather, _who_ he disappeared with. Tristan tried to think if he saw Justin talking to someone in particular at the party, but besides Cameron and Finn, he didn't remember seeing Justin with knew that sooner or later Justin would talk about it, but until then, the only thing he could do was speculate. And speculate he would.

Rory, on the other hand, was absolutely oblivious to what was going on, she didn't even remember that they hadn't seen Justin leave the party. She was so tired that she was totally off her game. All she could think about was her bed, a large cup of coffee and her bed. She didn't even notice the uneasy silence between the two friends.

Justin, well, Justin was thinking about Amy. He remembered seeing her around a couple of times; once at the base, in Raleigh, and another time at Homeland Security, on one of the times he was being debriefed after a mission. Sure, he noticed her, all right. She was, after all, a beautiful woman. But until tonight he had never talked to her, had never been interested. But he had seen her talking animatedly with a reporter, who was friends with Jake: her green eyes sparkled as she laughed at something that the redheaded woman had said, and Justin was kind of hooked.

He had asked Jake about the two girls. The redhead was Jenny, and she worked with Jake at the paper as an international correspondent. She had taken Rory's position and they used to talk from time to time, exchanging stories. The brunette, he was told, was Amy. She was a language specialist that Jenny had interviewed a couple of times for her articles. But Justin had a feeling that he knew more about Amy than Jake did. Or, at least, about her job.

Justin was trying to figure out if he should call her, when he saw that Tristan was looking intently at him, as if waiting for an answer. He took a couple of seconds to understand that Tristan had asked him a question.

"Sorry, I think I'm still a bit out of it. What did you say, DuGrey?" Justin asked him, using the lack of sleep as a reason.

"I asked you if you were ready to go. Come on, we need to find our gate." Tristan answered, frowning. He had to stop himself from saying something, and that wasn't easy for him to do.

They found their gate quickly and boarded the plane with no problems. Justin took the window seat, and Tristan sat down next to Justin so that Rory could have the aisle. They buckled their seat belts and waited for all the safety messages to be delivered.

Rory snuggled up to Tristan, making herself comfortable, and dozed off in no time. Justin spent a lot of the time looking at the window, especially since he could feel Tristan's eyes on him. He knew Tristan was waiting for an explanation, he just didn't know what to say.

"So, great party last night." Justin told Tristan as soon as the plane took off, and he was sure that Rory was asleep.

"Yeah. Great party." Tristan said, looking at his best friend. He was dying to know what happened, and where Justin was at the end of the party because it wasn't like Justin to take off without saying goodbye. But he knew his best friend. He'd say something when he was ready, but only if Tristan was patient enough to wait for him to be ready.

"I, uhh, what time did you two leave the party?" He asked, looking through the window again, trying to buy some time before he had to start answering questions.

"I little after you, I guess." Tristan smirked, and went right to the point. "So, who was she?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about..." Justin drawled, his southern accent a little more pronounced. But it was obvious from the smile he was trying to hide that he was lying through his teeth.

"Sure you don't..." Tristan answered, amused. "What would Jake say if he found out you took someone back to his apartment?"

"I know what you're trying to do DuGrey. You can't trick me into telling you who I spent the night with." Justin smirked back. That was the oldest trick ever.

"Ah, so you did spend the night with someone..."

"You know damn well that I did, and you know damn well that I, at least, am a gentleman, and do not go around telling people who I did or did not spent the night with." Justin retorted, amused.

"Okay, okay. I won't ask." Tristan wasn't even trying to hide his amusement. He knew his friend well enough to know that he didn't need to prod very much. He just needed to wait.

After a couple of seconds, just as Tristan predicted, Justin started talking.

"She's a friend of Jake's. She's a . . . She's a language analyst expert." Justin told him.

"Langley?" Tristan asked, thinking that she must work for the C.I.A,, and automatically ruling out the Pentagon, because he knew that Justin rarely went for the armed, US Military women. Justin rarely went for any woman in law-enforcement. The last time he had actually had a date, it was with some girl he met at the gym and she didn't last very long. According to Dylan, what she had in looks, she more than lacked in brains and wit.

"FBI." He answered.

"Huh." Tristan didn't want to say anything. He had a gut feeling but he was not ready to share it yet. Besides, he was having too much fun being the one to beating information out of Justin for a change.

"What?" Justin asked, sensing Tristan reticence. He was waiting for a full inquiry and Tristan was not even trying.

"Not your usual kind of woman." Tristan told him, deciding to not expand on the good side of it. Justin's dates were few and far between, and usually not very serious. He was all work and no fun, and his days off were all about hanging out with the guys in the Unit. That's why he tended to avoid dating women that he could potentially run into again at work.

"Well, DuGrey, enlighten me, what _is_ my kind of date?" Justin asked, slightly amused. He was still uneasy about how much he wanted to share with Tristan about Amy. Hell, he was uneasy about everything concerning Amy, to say the truth. She was as busy as he was was, constantly traveling due to her job, and most of the time traveling to places where safety was an issue.

"You know... not law-enforcement woman."

"She's... different." Justin said, slowly.

"Ah." Tristan smirked. It was payback time, for all the jokes and all the crap that Justin pulled on him.

"Wipe that smile off your face, DuGrey." Justin answered. He wasn't really mad at Tristan for prying. He just wasn't ready yet to tell him about it.

"Okay. I'll just ask Jake about it when we get home..." Tristan joked, trying to rile him a little bit more. He loved Justin like a brother, but it was high time he changed his attitude and found someone. Law-enforcement or not.


	43. Chapter 43

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter!**

* * *

Rory was setting the table for dinner when Tristan arrived home that night. She took one look at his face and knew that they were not going to be able to celebrate their anniversary. She stopped, still holding the wine glasses in her hand, and waited for it, hoping that it would not be another month-long mission overseas. He had _just_ came back.

"I'm sorry, babe." Tristan said, walking in her direction, and taking the glasses from her hand. He sighed, put the glasses on the table, and pulled Rory into the living room, and sat her down next to him.

"I had hoped that they could do that one without me. I even put Justin's name on that damn press release, so that he would be the one to be called to give this speech. And I wasn't even lying, he was the one to oversee the whole mission." He told her. He never mentioned the fact that Justin had known one of the hostages, had, in fact, been with one of them. But Justin hadn't talked about that yet, so Tristan was not going to say anything either.

"When do you have to leave?" Rory asked, sadly. "Do you have the time to at least eat something?"

"I should already be boarding the plane. I just came home to change and talk to you. We'll be arriving in Washington at 10pm, and we are going directly to the White House. It's a breakfast thing, where the president will be addressing our last mission. And then Justin will be giving a speech, thank God. We'll have a meeting with the Secretary of Defense, in the afternoon, and we'll probably be back home the next morning. It's just a couple of days. I'll be home Saturday." Tristan told her. He hated disappointing her, but he had no way of getting out of this one.

The team had just come back from the Middle East four days ago, after almost 6 weeks away. They went in to rescue an FBI agent that had been kidnapped along with two reporters in Syria. Both of the reporters were released by the Syrian militia, after a short negotiation, but the special agent was still being held captive, and there was talk about execution. They had to act fast, and this time, it was not a clean mission, like the ones they were used to. There had been a moment where Tristan even doubted that the agent was still alive.

After successfully rescuing her, Justin was given the task of protecting the agent, while an offensive SEAL unit went out to hunt the leaders responsible for the attack. The choice to leave Justin on bodyguard duty was not Tristan's, but as nobody besides him knew about Justin's previous relationship with her, he couldn't say anything. Especially when the order came from the Colonel.

Because Rory had been the assigned reporter covering the Special Forces Unit for over a year, she knew all about that mission. She had written about it the day after their return. She knew it was a high profile case, since one of the reporters was related to Secretary of Defense, and because Tristan had barely been home since he returned. And she also knew that, because it was someone close to them, the President would most likely speak about the case publicly. But she didn't think that Tristan would be forced to attend. Even though he was the head of the unit, Tristan usually send Justin or Ryan to attend these events.

"Well, that's okay. We'll reschedule our anniversary dinner. It's just two days, right?" Rory said, trying to be okay with that. She knew that Tristan had no control over it. It was part of his job, and it was part of her "job", as his wife, to understand those duties. And after almost two years together, she thought she was getting better at it.

"Go on, shower and change. I'll wrap something up for you to eat on the plane." Rory told him, already planning for the weekend.

While Tristan was taking a shower, she called for a pizza, because she was not in the mood to eat a fancy dinner alone, and changed into a tee shirt and shorts. She then called Andrew and invited him and Sarah, his girlfriend, to eat the pizza with her. She and Andrew had developed a close friendship since he transferred to the team, due to the fact that he was Juliet's cousin and a close friend of Jake's. And Rory hadn't seen him since he came back from his first overseas mission, and she was curious to know how he was handling it. And she loved Sarah like a sister too.

As soon as she hung up the phone, she heard Tristan coming out from the bedroom, adjusting his jacket. She took sometime to just watch him. Whenever Tristan was dressed in his service uniform, it took her breath away.

"So, did you manage to get Sarah and Andrew to come over?" He asked, knowing that Rory hated to be alone when he was away on duty. If it wasn't the middle of the week, he'd have suggested a trip to visit Lorelai in Stars Hollow. They hadn't been in Connecticut since the party that her grandparents threw to celebrate their wedding.

"Yeah. They're on the way. Here, I made you and Justin a sandwich with some of the meat I was cooking for our dinner. " She said, giving him two sandwiches wrapped in tinfoil.

"Hey, how come Justin got a piece of my anniversary dinner?" Tristan asked, wrapping his arms around her, and kissing her lightly on the forehead. Damn it, he was already late, and he couldn't seem to take his hands off his wife.

"Well, I got Andrew and Sarah as company, you have Justin. It's only fair that they get to share our dinner with us." She said, stifling a moan, while Tristan buried his face on her neck, and placed hot, wet kisses that drove her wild.

"Yeah, but you're eating pizza with them." He told her, tightening his hold on her, and growling when she pressed her body into his.

"Just stop complaining and kiss me already, DuGrey!" She demanded, and pulled him in for a real kiss.

"Babe, if you don't stop that, I'm not going to be able to walk out that door in ten minutes, when they are supposed to arrive." He told her, but contradicted himself, picking her up and wrapping her legs around his waist.

"Well, I was saving that for after our anniversary dinner, but-" Rory started saying but Tristan silenced her with a mind-blowing kiss. He wanted to take her into their bedroom, but her response was so raw, that it drove him to lose control. He slammed her into one of the living room walls, away from any windows, and lost himself into her. God, he had missed her.

–

After almost half an hour, Rory was happily sitting at the kitchen table, eating pizza with her friends, while Tristan was entering the airport. Justin took one look at Tristan's face, and smirked.

"You used to take a hell of a shorter time to go home to shower and dress before boarding a plane. Care to tell me what took you so long?" Justin teased, knowing full well what kept Tristan at home for a while.

"It's my anniversary, and I have barely been home in six weeks. Do you really need to ask what took me so long?" Tristan answered, but couldn't ever hide the smile from his face. "How's Amy, by the way?" He asked, thinking to just shut him up.

"She's pretty shaken up, still. But other than that, she's good. She's tougher than she looks." Justin answered, avoiding the real question. "And that is all I'm going to tell you about it

"Well, when you stop wondering about my sex life, I'll stop wondering about yours..."


	44. Chapter 44

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter!**

* * *

"Can I ask you something?" Amy asked Rory, while Sarah was filling their wine glasses.

Rory had invited Sarah and Amy over for a girl's night. It had been almost three months since Tristan's unit had rescued Amy from the Syrian militia, and they were still looking for those responsible for her kidnapping. Which meant that Amy was still in danger, and she was still under protection. She argued against it fiercely, saying that she was an FBI special agent, and that just because she specialized in linguistics didn't mean she couldn't take care of herself. She had aced all of her combat classes, and she was a great shooter. But both her boss and Tristan's superiors agreed that she should be placed in protective custody, and have a trained sniper following her everywhere she went.

Sarah knew that her friend was getting anxious and tired of having Justin follow her every move, but Justin didn't have a choice: he was ordered to follow her around, and he'd do that until they caught the ones responsible for the attack. So Sarah decided to talk Rory into a Girls Night In. They would be perfectly safe and sound at Rory's place, and Tristan could keep an eye on Amy in a much more subtle way, while the girls relaxed and drank some wine. Of course, they would have to convince Justin that Amy would be just fine with Tristan looking after her, and Sarah and Rory would have to convince Tristan to stay around, but out of the girls' way, in the first place.

"Sure, ask away Amy!" Rory answered. She smiled warmly at her new friend, and waited for her to say something.

"Is Justin always like that?" Amy whispered. She didn't want Tristan to overhear her. She risked a glance at the porch outside, where she knew Tristan was quietly reading a book, trying to give the girls some privacy.

"Like what?" Rory whispered back, narrowing her eyes, and leaning closer to Amy, so that they could continue to talk above a whisper.

"Like, all serious, all work, all the time. I mean, does he ever do anything fun?" She asked.

"Wait. Are we talking about the same person? Because the Justin I know is like, the least serious person I know. He is always making fun of Tristan, or messing with Jake." Rory told her.

"So, it is just me, then." Amy sighed. She had yet to tell Rory about the steamy night she and Justin shared after Rory and Tristan's Wedding Party, or any of the other nights after that. She knew that Tristan knew about it, she had guessed as much from the way Tristan smirked every time Justin looked at her. He had to know that something happened, right? But she knew that if Tristan had told Rory, then Rory would have said something by now.

"Well, it's his job to protect you. And he's very serious about his job..." Rory tried, but even she didn't quite believe what she was telling Amy. Sure, Justin is serious about his job, but that didn't make him a serious person. There must be something else that she didn't know yet. She looked at Sara, willing her to say something.

"It's just... He's taking this very seriously. And every time I try talking to him about something not work related, he just... kind of freezes me out. It's almost like he's afraid of getting closer to me, I mean, it feels like he doesn't want us to get to know each other..." She ranted.

"Wait. Justin? Afraid of getting closer to you? That makes no sense." Sarah said, looking from one girlfriend to another.

"No. We're missing something, Sarah." Rory said, and looked at Amy. The wheels in her head already starting to turn. "We _are _missing something, aren't we Amy?" Rory smirked. Rory couldn't believe she hadn't seen this coming.

"You like him!" Rory stated. When she saw Amy starting to blush and look away, she repeated it, more forcefully this time. "Oh my God, you _like_ him!"

"Shh!" Amy shushed her. "Are you nuts? I don't want Tristan to hear that. He already knows too much..." She started, without thinking.

"Too much? Amy, what does Tristan know that we don't?" Sarah asked her.

"Well. I imagine that he knows that Justin and I, well, that we kind of had a... a fling, a while ago." Amy said.

"How long ago?" Rory asked, trying to put the pieces together.

She though that Justin and Amy met during her rescue mission. Since they both worked in the same field, it was possible that they had seen each other a few times before the mission, and since both Amy and Andrew were friends with Jake, they could have run into each other that way. So it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that they had crossed paths before.

Amy had been moved to North Carolina after her kidnapping to work at the FBI office in Raleigh. She was going to be relocated after US Forces caught the head of the Syrian militia, but for the time being she was stuck here, and Rory and Amy became fast friends through Jake.

After Andrew joined the team, and introduced Sarah to them, the three of them started having lunch or a shopping date every other week. Sarah and Amy became very close friends because they both moved to Raleigh around the same time and didn't know anyone else..

"Well... we first hooked up a little more than a year ago..." Amy said, thinking about their first night.

"A year ago? And you're just telling me this now?" Sarah exclaimed, a little hurt by the revelation.

"Well... it only happened a couple of times. I mean, after a couple of months, I left to work in Syria for almost 4 months, working, and then we were attacked. And before I knew it, Dylan was carrying me into the hospital, and bam... Suddenly I need a bodyguard, and Justin jumps at the chance, but it's like... he's a complete different man. He's acting like nothing ever happened between us."

"You're telling me that, before you went went to Syria, you two were having a fling, and now he's pretending nothing happened?" Sarah asked, wanting to be certain. The three of them were so engrossed in the conversation that they forgot to keep their voices down so that Tristan wouldn't hear them. But Tristan could hear everything and he was barely paying attention to his book. He hated eavesdropping on his wife's conversation, but since Justin was not telling him anything, well, he had no other choice but to continue listening.

"Well. No. He drove me home, when he came back from Washington, after that speech. And well, he was... it was... raw, and crazy, and wonderful. And when I woke up, he had left and the next thing I know, he and Tristan are at my doorstep, and Tristan is saying that both the Colonel and the Deputy Director agreed that I should be in protective custody, and that Justin's been ordered to shadow me. And now, it looks like... he's acting like nothing happened."

Tristan couldn't believe what he was hearing. He never even noticed that he closed the book he was reading, and turned towards the opened door, where he could see the three women talking. Man, Justin was really, really stupid. Tristan was well aware that Justin and Amy had been seeing each other casually, and he knew it was casual mostly because of Justin, who was still thought that Amy could do better than him, that he led a too dangerous life to tie himself to someone.

Which was the biggest bullshit he had ever heard Justin say, especially because Justin was one of the biggest supporters of his and Rory's relationship. It was just dumb on his part to avoid getting involved with anyone. And Amy, at least Amy could take care of herself. She's a sharp shooter, she's fast, and most of all, she's brilliant. It was not by chance that she was one of the most sought out agents in the agency.

And the worst part was that he couldn't even yell at Justin for being stupid, because he was not supposed to know that he and Amy weren't seeing each other any more. He knew that there was something going on before the mission, and Justin was still implying that he and Amy were still seeing each other. He argued something fierce when Tristan appointed him as Amy bodyguard, even though he knew that the order came from high up. He couldn't very well ask him if he was still seeing Amy, and he couldn't call him on his stupidity right now. He had to figure out a way to make him talk. He shook his head, and scooted closer to the door so that he could continue to hear the conversation going on.

"Well, I remember seeing you and Justin talking at Rory's wedding party, but I never imagined..." Sarah said. She was still having problems believing it. How in the hell her best friend could be seeing someone for almost a year, and she knew nothing about

"I don't believe it. My wedding? I mean, Tristan was bound to notice that Justin just took off..." Rory started, and looked outside, just in time to see Tristan scramble to open the book again. Damn it, he had been listening to their every word...


	45. Chapter 45

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**A/N: This is last minute writing. Without proper proofreading. So I apologize in advance for any mistakes/misspellings... **

* * *

"I can't believe you were listening to our conversation!" Rory told Tristan, as soon as he entered the house, after having driven Amy and Sarah home. She was trying to look angry, but she couldn't summon up enough energy to actually do it. In reality, she was more angry with Amy and Justin than with Tristan. Stupid, stupid Justin. What is it with man, and their inability to accept their feelings.

She couldn't believe that she didn't know about Justin and Amy. Her mind was still reeling from the news, and she had enough time to think about all the details she missed while Tristan was driving both girls home.

She thought back to her wedding bash, about how silent Justin had been on the flight back from Connecticut. She remembered the way Justin used to look at Amy, or how they used to disappear from time to time, and then pretend nothing happened. Or how Justin fiercely argued when he was the one ordered to shadow Amy, when they came back from the Middle East.

All the signs were there, and she still couldn't believe how she never picked up on what was going on.

"Actually, what were you thinking, keeping to yourself that Justin and Amy were together! Don't you think that I should have that information too?" She continued, this time putting the wine glasses down, and playfully hitting him on the arm with the dishcloth she was using to dry the dishes. She hated feeling left out, and even though she knew that, if she was in Tristan's place, she would never say anything or break anyone's confidence, she still hated to feel left out.

"Well, I was thinking that, if Amy wanted you to know, she would have said something. After all, she never said anything directly to me. And besides, my plate was already full, trying to talk some sense into Justin." Tristan answered, taking the dishcloth from Rory's hand, before she decides to really use it. They stood there in the kitchen talking about Justin and Amy for some time, while Rory finished cleaning up, and set the table for tomorrow's breakfast.

Tristan told Rory what he did know about them, starting with his and Justin's conversation at the plane, coming back from Hartford. He was not one for details, but Rory was relentless in her questions, and of course, after so many years in the news industry, she knew how to ask questions and get anyone to talk. She was a journalist after all.

"Well, now that I know it, what are we going to do about it?" Rory asked, taking a step closer to her husband. Tristan seized the opportunity to pull Rory into his arms and kiss her, before answering:

"I don't know about you, but I am going to take my wife to bed right now, and think about it in the morning." He said, picking her up, bridal style, and carrying her into their bedroom. "It's late, and I have an early meeting tomorrow, so I suggest you do the same, babe."

Before Rory could say anything, Tristan had placed her in their bed, covered her with his body, and was expertly getting rid of her clothes, and soon all she could think about was how to undress him without making him stop what he was doing to her body. Justin and Amy were the last thing on her mind.

But at the other side of the city, Amy wasn't having as much of a good time. She was all tied up in knots, and acting weirder than ever. Talking to the girls about her last night with Justin only made her miss him even more. She was feeling miserable, and out of place.

Rory was right, she was absolutely head over heels in love with Justin. She couldn't even look him in the eyes when he open the door for her, for fear that he'd see right through her. She was not ready to tell him she loved him, so she bowed her head, and walked straight to her bedroom.

Justin took one look at her, and immediately thought that something was wrong. He looked at Tristan, who just shook his head, and was already coming back to his car. Tristan had already driven Sarah home, and he was anxious to get back to his place and his wife. But Justin decided to ignore Tristan's reticence in explaining what the hell was wrong with Amy, so he just closed the door, and went after his best friend.

"Hey, Dugrey, wait up!" He said, when he saw Tristan getting inside his car again and closing the door. He jogged to the car, and tapped at the window, ignoring Tristan's "I'm-not-in-the-mood-to-talk" dirty look.

"What?" Tristan scowled at Justin, trying to look as exasperated as possible.

"What the hell happened at your place? Amy was fine when I dropped her off." Justin asked angrily. When Tristan just blackened his scowl even more, without answering him, Justin briefly thought that he'd better drop it, but it was already too late.

"I suggest you get inside, Meyer, and ask Amy what happened. That is, if you're stupid enough not to know why she's not fine." Tristan answered, using his best Captain DuGrey tone of voice, that Justin was more than familiar with, to go with his dark look.

Before Justin could summon up an answer, Tristan closed the window and drove off, leaving a bewildered Justin behind. It took Justin about three seconds to understand what Tristan was talking about. Since they came back from Syria, Tristan was trying to get Justin to open up and talk about Amy, and Justin was doing his best to ignore it – and her.

He was not ready to accept his feelings for her, so he was doing all he could to keep a respectful distance from her, and apart from that first night, he thought he was doing a good job. Maybe he should tell Lt. Colonel Custer the truth about his involvement with Amy and ask for a replacement, thinking that it would be better for both of them if someone else was keeping her safe. Well, maybe not better, but certainly easier.

Justin quietly came inside, set on talking to Amy and telling her that, just in time to see Amy taking her clothes of and putting on a pair of shorts and an old, ratty FBI t-shirt she usually wears to bed. He was frozen to the spot, and as much as he knew that he should look away and respect her privacy, thinking that she mustn't have noticed her door was not fully closed, he couldn't take his eyes off her. "Damn it...

He knew that he had said it out loud when Amy turned back and their eyes met for a second. He quickly looked away, but not fast enough. He had enough time to notice the enticing blush that covered her cheeks, at being caught nearly naked. Damn it. He was in love with her.


	46. Chapter 46

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter!**

* * *

"So, what do you want to do next weekend?" Tristan asked Rory, during a lazy moment in bed before they had to get up to go to work.

"I don't know. I don't have anything planned for next weekend. Why?" Rory answered, stretching her back, and rolling over to lean on Tristan and rest her head on his chest. She looked at the clock on her bedside table, and smiled, seeing that they had at least another 20 minutes before they had to get up and get in the shower.

"Well, you know what next weekend is, right?" Tristan smirked. Of course she knew. She would never forget a date, let alone an important one.

"Of course I do! How could I forget our anniversary! I just didn't want to plan anything in advance, in case you were shipped off somewhere, or had a prior engagement with work." Rory told him.

"Well, we can start planning something, because I've taken the weekend off. I'll hand in my report Friday morning, and then we can do whatever we want. Well, not _anything_ we want, because I have to be back on Monday. But this weekend, I'm all yours, babe."

Tristan was usually okay with the demands of his job, but he didn't want to have to miss out on his second anniversary because of a mission, or a press conference, like last year. So he planned everything in advance. He had already put Justin in charge, and he believed that they wouldn't have any problem being away from home for a weekend. He was thinking that they could take a road trip, maybe drive all the way to Stars Hollow. They could spend the night in New York, and then drive to Lorelai's on Saturday morning. They could even stop to have lunch somewhere near Washington DC, check out some exhibits at one of the Smithsonian museums. He knew Rory would like to stop in D.C., and there was a scenic route from Raleigh to Washington, either by the coast or the mountains.

"Oh, I like the sound of that! Maybe we could go somewhere!" Rory raised her head to look at Tristan's eyes. "From the look in your eyes, I'm willing to bet you already have something in mind!"

"Well, I was thinking we could drive back home, visit your mother and Jake. They've been complaining that we haven't been home in ages. Your mom even offered us a nice room at the Dragonfly, to start working on her grandchildren." He smirked at the look of absolute horror on Rory's face. "No, I'm not kidding. Those were her words..."

"Oh God. I can't believe mom said that to you!" Rory said, hiding her face in her husband's chest."

"I can't believe she knows that we are thinking about starting to try. I thought we weren't telling anyone yet." Tristan replied, smiling.

"We aren't telling anyone and I didn't tell her! We didn't even really decide anything yet. I thought we were going to talk about it this weekend!"

"Well, there's plenty of time to talk about it during our drive to Connecticut. What do you say we stop in Washington for lunch, and then spend the night in New York? We can have breakfast at the Dragonfly saturday morning." Tristan said.

"I just have to talk to Phil, and make sure he's okay with me taking Friday off. I'm sure that it won't be a problem. But you know that, if we're going to be in Connecticut for a whole weekend, chances are, we're are not going to be able to escape my grandparents."

"That's fine. As long as we manage to escape my family, I'm all for it. But I don't see why we have to wait for the weekend to start working on Lorelai's grandchildren." Tristan said, rolling Rory on her back and covering her with his body. "I say we start working on it right now."

"Well, we can start practicing, but to start working on having children, I first have to stop taking the pill. Are you sure this is what you want?" Rory said, while she ran her hands along his back, lightly at first, and more aggressively when Tristan started sucking on her neck. She closed her eyes, and turned her head to the right, to give him better access, and tried to still hold on to her train of though.

"Right now, the only thing I want to do is hear you scream my name-" He started saying, but Rory silenced him with a hungry kiss. He was right, they'd have plenty of time to discuss it over the weekend. Right now, the only thing he could think about was enjoying those few minutes of pleasure before her alarm clock went off. Oh, well, they could finish it in the shower if her alarm did go off.

–

Later that night, Rory was on the phone with Jake to schedule Saturday's breakfast. She was supposed to meet with Juliet in two weeks, to try on her bridesmaid's dress, but if she was going to be in Hartford this weekend, maybe they could do the fitting then. Juliet was driving Jake insane with wedding stuff, and Rory was hopping that she could talk to her about it this weekend, while Tristan took Jake out for a drink or two. Maybe they could even round up the boys. She hadn't seen Logan, Colin and Finn since her wedding, although Tristan and Justin did talk to Finn or Cameron from time to time.

"Hey, Jake, do you know if the guys have plans for the weekend?" Rory asked him, cutting him off. He was on a roll, ranting about Juliet's obsession with the wedding flowers.

"Uh, I'll have to ask them. I talked to Finn last night, and he didn't say anything. But knowing him, as soon as he hears that you and Tristan are coming home this weekend, he'll be here."

"Great! I'll invite Juliet to dinner, and maybe you guys could go out to drink or something. I know she's really stressed about the wedding."

"God, beautiful, if you weren't already married, I'd get down on my knees right now." Jake joked. "I'd do it anyway if I didn't think that your husband would kill me for that. Or my fiancée."

"Well, just promise me that you won't join mom on the "why-aren't-you-guys-giving-me-grandchildren" wagon, and you're off the hook."

"Oh god, she's driving you insane, isn't she?" Jake asked her, wondering why she wasn't freaking out about it. "I can't believe she beat Emily to it. I always thought your Grandmother was going to be the one harassing you with baby talk."

"Me too." Rory said. She wanted to tell Jake that they were thinking about it, but she promised Tristan she wouldn't say anything. She was still debating what to do in her head, and she didn't realize that Jake was waiting for her to say something else. Actually, he was waiting for her to start freaking out.

"Oh my God." Jake said, when it hit him. "You're not freaking out. Why are you not freaking out?"

"Well... because it doesn't sound so bad, thinking about having children." She treaded lightly. "We've been married for almost two years, after all..."

"Lorelai Leah Gilmore, I can't believe you're trying and didn't say anything!"

"First of all, it's Gilmore-DuGrey now. It has been for almost two years too, you should get it right by now." She faked-scolded him. "And second, we're not trying yet."

"Yet." He repeated.

"Yet." She told him, smiling to herself.

"But you're thinking about it." Jake pressed.

"We're thinking about it. But we're not telling anyone." She caved and told him. Well, Tristan couldn't be mad at her, because she didn't actually tell Jake. He just knew her too well and guessed.

"Don't worry beautiful. I won't tell anyone. I can't wait to see you. It's been too long!" Jake told her.

"I miss you too, Jake. So, Saturday, 9 o'clock?"

"Sure, 9 o'clock. Say 'hi' to Tristan for me, and we'll see each other in a couple of days!"

"Bye Jake!".


	47. Chapter 47

**Disclaimer: Rory's job takes her to North Carolina, and her first assignment is to interview one injured soldier. She walks into that army base expecting to get her first story, but that's not all she gets, right? This is a Trory! :)**

**I'd like to thank Courtney for her help in editing this chapter!**

* * *

**Epilogue**

"You're sure?" He asked her on the phone.

"Well, no. I mean, I'm sure, but I don't have any confirmation. Not yet. But I'm sure."

"You have to be sure, beautiful. I mean, one hundred percent sure. Wait. How can you be sure, without any confirmation?"

"I took the test, Jake. But I just can't look at it. I can't do that alone." She said. She was nervous. She and Tristan have been trying to get pregnant for almost two years and she didn't want to get her hopes crushed again, looking at a negative pregnancy test.

"But you just said you were sure, beautiful." Jake tried to calm her down.

It had been two weeks since Tristan was deployed, and Jake knew that Rory was worried about him. It was supposed to be an easy mission, in and out in four days, but something went wrong, and Rory had no idea when they would be back. That was almost ten days ago, which means that it had been almost two weeks since she managed to sleep a full night. She was beside herself with worry, and it was making her sick. She started throwing up the morning after he left.

At least that was what she thought it was, until she took a good look at her calendar, a week after he was gone. She was late, almost four weeks late. They had started trying on their second anniversary, thinking that it would be easy, but after a year of negative tests, she decided to start looking into it. The doctors couldn't find anything wrong with either of them, they all said it was only a matter of time. But there had been so many negative tests that Rory decided she wouldn't take them anymore.

But now, she didn't know what to do. She was throwing up every morning, and some afternoons too; she couldn't eat; she wasn't even drinking a lot of coffee, which at first she chalked it all up to nerves. And she was tired all the time. Well, she wasn't sleeping very well either since she wasn't used to sleeping alone anymore, but she was really tired. And she was almost a month late now. She spent the whole week thinking about it. She was sure. So why couldn't she just look at that damn test?

"Do you want me to call someone? Or fly over? We can take the jet." He said, referring to the Huntzberger jet. Jake and Juliet got married two years ago, and, to everybody's surprise, Logan married Jake's sister, Anna, the year after that. Apparently, they met at Jake's wedding and had a secret tryst in the bridal room. Jake was furious with Logan when he found out because Anna was almost six years younger than him. It was Rory who had to interfere, when she noticed that Anna was head over heels in love with Logan. They dated for six months and were married by the end of the year. She still couldn't believe that she was the maid of honor in Logan's wedding, or that they were practically family now. Tristan was still very jealous, but at least now they were getting along. Justin thought it was hilarious, as always.

"No, Jake. It's ridiculous. You can't fly over just because I can't take a damn pregnancy test alone." She told him, going from sad and tearful to angry in no time at all. She didn't even notice the mood swing, but Jake did, and smiled.

"Just look at the damn test, Lorelai Leigh Gilmore-DuGrey." Jake said.

"Okay. I'll do it. I'll call you later." She said, and hung up.

That's how Tristan found his wife, holding the phone in one hand, and a pregnancy test in the other hand, afraid to open her eyes. He didn't know how long Rory had been in there, he hoped not too long. He had arrived at the base almost an hour ago, and had tried to call her, but got the voicemail every single time. He left Justin in charge, and got home as fast as possible. Justin was now Captain Meyer, and as of tomorrow, Commanding Officer of the unite. Tristan was promoted at the end of their assignment, and was now part of the unit's own intelligence detail. Major Tristan DuGrey, head of the intelligence detail. No more overseas missions, no more deployments with almost no warning. He was still going to be based in Raleigh, and he was still in direct contact with what was now Justin's Rescue Team, but with a new set of duties. He couldn't wait to tell his wife the news. She'd be so proud.

He sighed, thinking that the last thing he wanted was to come home after two weeks and find his wife in tears because of another negative pregnancy test.

"Are you going to look at this test anytime soon, babe?" He asked her.

Rory's eyes flew open, and she dropped both the test and the phone, and threw herself into his arms. She hugged him, tightly, just like that first time he was deployed, going after Cameron, so many years ago.

"I missed you. So much. You're not allowed to leave the house anymore." She said, between the kisses. "I'm never letting you go. You'll have to get used to it, okay?"

Tristan was not surprised. They did that every time that he came back home. It didn't matter if it was for two days or two weeks. She'd say that every time. He just picked her up, without breaking the kiss, tossed her on their bed, and lost himself with her. It had been too long. After a few hours, when they were both more then satiated, and Rory was drifting off to sleep, he got up to use the bathroom.

He opened the door, and found the forgotten test. He was just going to throw it away, when he got a glimpse of pink. It wasn't supposed to be pink, was it? They'd never got the pink one as an answer before. It took him a moment to register what he had just thought. Pink. It was pink. It was positive. He couldn't believe it. He was going to be a father. He picked up the phone from the floor too, and walked back to bed.

"Hey, babe. Wake up." He told her softly, getting into bed with her.

"No. Sleep. Tired." She mumbled.

He chuckled, and tried again. "Come on, babe. Wake up. I have something to show you."

"Can't it wait until tomorrow?" She mumbled again. She was really tired.

"I think we waited long enough."

The words were slow to penetrate her brain. "What did you say?" She asked, sitting up on the bed, still half asleep.

"I said we waited long enough."

She saw the test in his hand. Her discarded pregnancy test. Then she saw the look in his eyes, the look of pure joy, the look he had in his eyes on their wedding day. She silently asked him if it was true, although she didn't need to. She already knew the answer

"We did it, babe. We're going to have a baby." He told her.

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N/A: So, this is it! I'll probably write a couple of one shots, way into the future. And, I'm working on a fanfic centered in Justin, for those of you who really enjoyed his character. :) Thank you for all your lovely comments, and for following this story from the start. I always tried to thank each and every one of you, by answering your reviews. I'd also like to thank Sarah V e YaleAce, who commented on almost every chapter, I wanted to answer/thank you personally! Thank you all for reading, and commenting and enjoying this story!


	48. Chapter 48

**N/A:** Just wanted to let you know that I posted a one shot from the universe of When You Least Expect on FF. A couple of months after the epilogue. I hope you'll enjoy!


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